Commentary on Pontin D & Jones S (2007) Children's nurses and nurse prescribing: a case study identifying issues for developing training programmes in the UK. Journal of Clinical Nursing 16, 540-548

This paper (Pontin & Jones 2007) provides some important insights with regard to the issues facing specialist nurses working in children's settings and the adoption of the role of prescribing. Several methods exist which enable nurses to deliver medicines to patients. These methods include Patient Group Directions (PGD) (previously known as protocols) for the supply and administration of medicines, independent prescribing from the Nurse Prescribers’ Formulary (NPF) for Community Practitioners, Nurse Independent Prescribing (NIP) (previously independent extended prescribing), and Nurse Supplementary Prescribing (NSP). Each of these methods is very distinct with regards to its development, and the type of medicines for which it can be used. Additionally, the education and training required by nurses in order that they can use these different methods differs substantially. It would have been very helpful (particularly for the journals international audience) had these authors described each of these methods in the introduction to this research.