Who can prescribe?

Guzzler

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Quick question. Does a DSN need the go-ahead from a GP to prescribe insulin to a newly diagnosed T2?
 
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I don't know what the official answer is (and I do not have t2).
However, my experience is my GP knows sweet nada about diabetes but has to sign the prescriptions.
So the DSN tells the GP what to prescribe and she does as she is advised.

I guess she has the right to veto the request as I believe my prescriptions are funded by my GP.

[I say "she" but I haven't met my GP. The last one I met retired. Her replacement didn't last long (a few months). I have no clue who the next replacement was and whether they have been replaced.]
 

Guzzler

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Having re-remembered my initial conversation with the DN at diagnosis and in a bid to try and reignite a little trust in her (it has been over a year since my last HbA1c and trust is a big point wrt this) I would like to know if she needed 'permission' to prescribe insulin for me or if the comment she made about it was posturing or a case of using a stick to beat me with. I am really struggling to find the impetus to organise a review which is long overdue.
 

Boo1979

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When I worked in the NHS ( children's mental health services, so not diabetes) some nurses were “nurse prescribers” others were not - the former had to undertake further training beyond their initial nursing qualification and the main specialist mental health modules
 

Guzzler

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Thank you both for your replies.
 
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When I worked in the NHS ( children's mental health services, so not diabetes) some nurses were “nurse prescribers” others were not - the former had to undertake further training beyond their initial nursing qualification and the main specialist mental health modules
We have nurse practitioners here in Australia that are allowed to prescribe a long list of medication including insulin.

I do not have a DN only a diabetic educator that I see when I feel like it, I do not think she would be able to prescribe medication though.

https://www.pbs.gov.au/browse/nurse?initial=i
 

DCUKMod

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@Guzzler - I don't know the answer to your query, but so many of those referred to on here as DSNs aren't DSNs; they are nurses who do a bit with diabetes. A DSN has more advanced qualifications than a practice nurse, dealing with diabetes.
 

Bluetit1802

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My diabetes nurse is a prescribing nurse. She can prescribe certain drugs but I have no idea if insulin is included. I wasn't prescribed any drugs when I was diagnosed and have never been offered them. However, when I later saw my GP for a different matter she was looking at my records and commented she was surprised that Metformin had not been prescribed. She did not prescribe it. I took it from that my nurse was able to prescribe Metformin off her own bat and the GP would not over ride her decision not to prescribe it.
 

Guzzler

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@Guzzler - I don't know the answer to your query, but so many of those referred to on here as DSNs aren't DSNs; they are nurses who do a bit with diabetes. A DSN has more advanced qualifications than a practice nurse, dealing with diabetes.

Thank you. The DSN that I have seen also postured about her qualifications so I know she has had the necessary training. I have tried to find out what, and for how long, the training involves but without success.

One of my stumbling blocks is the fact that she gave me such poor advice on changing my diet that I ask myself how I could possibly trust her with regards to future drug and/or insulin advice. Taking into account the downright lie that she told me about statin side effects.
 

DCUKMod

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Thank you. The DSN that I have seen also postured about her qualifications so I know she has had the necessary training. I have tried to find out what, and for how long, the training involves but without success.

One of my stumbling blocks is the fact that she gave me such poor advice on changing my diet that I ask myself how I could possibly trust her with regards to future drug and/or insulin advice. Taking into account the downright lie that she told me about statin side effects.

Does this help?

https://www.nursingtimes.net/home/c...e-a-diabetes-nurse-consultant/5038694.article

https://www.postgraduatesearch.com/pgs/search?course=diabetes-nursing

I just asked Dr Google, "How do I become a diabetes specialist nurse", and chose from the links returned.
 
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Guzzler

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Guzzler

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From the first link and from a comment my DN made I now know that she is not a Diabetes Nurse Consultant. She may have one or some of the many qualifications from the list in the second link.
 

PenguinMum

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After seeing an Endo I may need insulin in tbe future as I have had a partial pancretectomy. However my DN who serves all the practices in my area and is very nice hasnt encountered anyone other than T1or T2 so I would only be persuaded to take insulin by a consultant.
 

Lally123

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Quick question. Does a DSN need the go-ahead from a GP to prescribe insulin to a newly diagnosed T2?
If your nurse is a prescriber then she will be an independent prescriber and will have done an 8 month prescribing course. She won't need the gp to say yes or no. One way to check if you need to find out is to use the NMC search the register facility, it's open to the public. You can find a nurse if you know her first and surnames. If you know that find her on the register, under the search results will say if she is an independent prescriber as it's a recorded qualification. If it says no.recorded qualifications then she isn't a prescriber and the gp would have to prescribe! Happy spying:)
 
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Guzzler

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If your nurse is a prescriber then she will be an independent prescriber and will have done an 8 month prescribing course. She won't need the gp to say yes or no. One way to check if you need to find out is to use the NMC search the register facility, it's open to the public. You can find a nurse if you know her first and surnames. If you know that find her on the register, under the search results will say if she is an independent prescriber as it's a recorded qualification. If it says no.recorded qualifications then she isn't a prescriber and the gp would have to prescribe! Happy spying:)

Winner, thank you very much, indeed.
 

Guzzler

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Using the NMC I can see that my 'DN' is senior practice nurse without the qualifications recorded to prescribe!
So she exagerated her status to me. This is not helping to instill any more trust than I had before.

Edited to add.

This means that I have never seen a HCP who has had any specialist training in Type 2 Diabetes.
Yet I am to be blamed if my Diabetes gets out of hand and blamed for the cost to the NHS of further treatments. I am stunned, I'm not sure how I feel about this at all.
 
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Daphne917

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I don't know what the official answer is (and I do not have t2).
However, my experience is my GP knows sweet nada about diabetes but has to sign the prescriptions.
So the DSN tells the GP what to prescribe and she does as she is advised.

I guess she has the right to veto the request as I believe my prescriptions are funded by my GP.

[I say "she" but I haven't met my GP. The last one I met retired. Her replacement didn't last long (a few months). I have no clue who the next replacement was and whether they have been replaced.]
We play GP lottery every time we pick up our prescriptions because we seem to have a different GP every month.
 

HICHAM_T2

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I'm sure this is different from country to country
But I'm sure some diabetics die every day because of the stupidity of some doctors .So that they do not update their information every year
This may make them treat their patients in a classic way What does it mean that one of my doctors describes insulin without specifying the type of diabetes? Is not that stupid