Nurse Independent and Supplementary Prescribing (NISP)
This course is offered at both degree and masters level.
The Nurse* Independent and Supplementary Prescribers Course at The University of Northampton, enables registered Nurses* to record this qualification with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) on successful of completion of a programme of study. Successful candidates are then eligible to independently prescribe from the British National Formulary in line with current legislation and employers organisational policy. The joint qualification of Supplementary Prescribing offers the additional option of prescribing within the remit of a defined Clinical Management Plan.
The educational programme aims to prepare nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses to safely prescribe, appropriately and cost-effectively as an independent/supplementary nurse prescriber.
Nurse practitioners must have been registered with the NMC as a first level nurse* for at least three years prior to undertaking the course and additionally have considerably experience working within the area of practice that they wish to independently prescribe. They also need to satisfy the University of Northampton NISP course team of ability to study at degree level. Evidence will thus be required of recent academic study at diploma level or above within the last three years preceding the course, at the point of application. For applicants who fall out of this criteria a pre APL (Accreditation of Prior Learning) system is in place at the discretion of the course leader. 
The support of a designated practitioner, manager and where appropriate, organisational prescribing lead will be sought before potential students can commence the course. The employer is responsible for confirming that the applicant is competent in taking clinical assessment, history and diagnosis as well as competency in numeracy skills. Likewise in response to the Shipman enquiry, students must be re-screened by their employer for a Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) check if this has not been undertaken within the last two years prior to applying to the course.
*Where the term Nurse is used, the term also applies to registrants who appear of Parts 1 (Nurses), Part 2 (Midwives) and Part 3 (Specialist Community Public Health Nurses).
Please click here for the NISP fact file
For application and admissions enquiries please contact:
Natlie Coulton
01604 892100
Natalie.coulton@northampton.ac.uk
