Participants
The participants consisted of a convenience sample of all
September cohort students (n = 137) and all February cohort
students (n = 92) attending a second year diploma in nursing
course at one UK university and a convenience sample of 44
Registered Nurses, predominantly working in primary care,
attending a post-registration non-medical prescribing
programme at the same university. The diploma of nursing
undergraduate programme is a 3 year full-time course with
intakes twice a year. On successful completion of the
programme students are eligible to join the Nursing and
Midwifery Council Professional register, which enables them
to practise as a Registered Nurse.