To: Ms.

Diaz
From: Lindsey Conklin
Date: March 21, 2015
Subject: Major Writing Assignment #2 Cover Letter
Rhetorical Situation
My title Registered Nurses Prescribing Medications defines accurately what my
position is in this paper and also clarifies that I am talking about registered nurses and not
all levels of nursing. While composing I had to keep in mind that my audience was
someone who was going to hire me to work at a non-profit organization. While keeping
my audience in mind I used various examples throughout my paper to provide a mental
image as to why registered nurses should be able to prescribe medications alongside other
healthcare professionals such as nurse practitioners and doctors. Overall, in supporting
my position I provided many cons and explained the issues involved but I also explained
the many pros involved to clearly depict my thesis and convey understanding of my
topic.
Areas of Interest
The main area of interest that I am concerned about is I am not sure if I did the in text
citations correctly while using the brackets to inform my reader that this is something I
changed or added. I would appreciate if I could get some feedback on this problem to, in
the future, improve my MLA formatting skills. Also, I feel I completely failed at coming
up with a creative title that made sense so I kept it very simple by using the title
Allowing Registered Nurses To Prescribe Medications. One area I feel that went really
smoothly was in outlining all the possible issues involved with registered nurses
prescribing medication and offering rebuttals on why this is an issue and how it can be
lessened, solved, or improved.
SLO Progression
SLO D is best defined as improving sentences, paragraphs, and other elements of a
document in accordance with the Standardized Written American English. Throughout
this assignment I was able to improve my overall fluency in the dialect of the SWAE
because this was a lengthier assignment meaning that I had to take more time to draft and

layout all the various elements of my paper. Also, in the LSA previous to this assignment
I was able to get useful feedback, which helped be a strong starting point for this MWA.
SLO H is best defined as using other peoples perspectives and positions while composing
a document to provide support to create an edge to a piece of writing. Also, to include

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:39 AM

Comment [1]: Give specific examples of
feedback.

other peoples work in a way that is ethically correct and appropriately represented. I was
able to work towards SLO H by having two sources cited in my position paper of articles
that I found from UNMs library data bases. By using Purdue Owl and receiving
feedback I was able to correctly cite and give credit to the other peoples perspectives
included in my paper. This actually really helped tie my paper together by having
credible citations.
SLO I is best defined as being able to produce an academic argument by using various

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:40 AM

Comment [2]: Give specific examples.

mediums by being able to analyze and pull information from various sources. I was able
to apply this to my position paper by beginning the process by finding two credible
sources using UNM databases. By doing this, I had to read through both articles and find
parts that would really tie well into my paper to add an interesting perspective but also
support my position. Also, by just using the UNM databases I had to analyze a lot of

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:40 AM

Comment [3]: How did you determine
their credibility?
Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:40 AM
Comment [4]: Such as?

articles and either come to the conclusion that they could fit into my topic or they
couldnt which required analysis and evaluation.

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:40 AM

Comment [5]: Your cover letter is
informative, but Im poking you to give
specific examples of SLO use so youll have
an easier time when were working on the
big SLO essay for the portfolio.

Lindsey Conklin
Miss Diaz
English 120-060
March 21, 2015
Allowing Registered Nurses To Prescribe Medications
Registered nurses are individuals who have completed a nursing program and
passed a national licensing exam in order to perform the various procedures that may

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:41 AM

Comment [6]: I wouldnt worry too
much about the title. Its informative, so it
works. For future title creation, try thinking
of pop culture references and tying them in.

occur in a healthcare environment. However, registered nurses are not allowed to

prescribe medications, limiting their practice and also limiting the amount of patients that
may receive care. Through adequate education and proper certification registered nurses
should have the ability to prescribe medications alongside nurse practitioner and doctors
in order to improve patient care.
A concern that rises is whose role is it in the healthcare setting to prescribe

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:44 AM

Comment [7]: Your thesis is very
concise and to the point.

medications? In order to understand what the role entails of being able to prescribe
medications Matt Griffiths, a professor of prescribing and medicines management at
Birmingham University defines prescribing as [a]ny act by which medicinal products
are written from one form of direction to administer to another (30). One may say that a
registered nurse who wants to prescribe medications needs to go back to school to
become either a nurse practitioner or a doctor. However, being able to have registered
nurses that have one extra skillset from what they obtained from nursing school will
improve the healthcare setting as a whole.

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:44 AM

Comment [8]: Good job framing and
using quote.
Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:45 AM
Comment [9]: This paragraph could
have been developed just a little bit more,
especially the last bit. Why would it be
better/more efficient to have nurses get that
skillset in school automatically rather than
go back?
You discuss this argument later, but the flow
doesnt work well because theres a break in
the flow (the next paragraph)

Due to the fact that there is already of shortage of healthcare professionals, it is a

need to have registered nurses that can broaden and improve the existing shortage by
being able to prescribe medications. Also, as it is, healthcare professionals work
alongside each other and registered nurses would be able to expand the amount of work
they do with other healthcare professionals, continuing the improvements made in a
healthcare setting. An example being: There is a patient who has a mysterious diagnosis
that has not been determined by the doctor, who is completely stumped as to what the
prevalent illness could be. The doctor is able to assess the various medications the patient
is on by discussing it with a registered nurse who has a vast knowledge of medications

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:46 AM

Comment [10]: This sentence
introduces an important thought, but its
oddly worded and needs clarification.

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:47 AM

Comment [11]: This isnt wrong, but this
intro is a little clunky.
Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:47 AM
Comment [12]: Is this a specialized
term? Define if so.

and who was also was prescribing and administering the medications to the patient. The
doctor and registered nurse work as a team to figure out that the patients illness is due to
his/her various medications. If the registered nurse did not have the ability to prescribe
the medications to the patient they may not have been able to apply their vast knowledge
of medications to work as team with the doctor to solve this problem. Overall, the
healthcare setting would be able to work more efficiently, accurately, and more patients
would receive the time and care they need.
Another concern that rises is the extra amount of education and certification a
registered nurse would need to complete in order to prescribe medications to patients. In
order to prescribe medications there would need to be additional education from what a
nursing program offered and registered nurses would also need the proper certification.
However, registered nurses may not want to complete the additional education and
certification because they may not want the responsibility of prescribing medications.
Because the certification needed to prescribe medication would be additional from what a

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:48 AM

Comment [13]: This part of the sentence
is a little strange.
Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:49 AM
Comment [14]: This sounds like a big
ideashould we force nurses to do this?

nursing program offered it would be optional for registered nurses to obtain this
education and certification.
Prescribing medication involves various legal aspects in order to ensure safety for
the healthcare professional and the patient. Most nurse practitioners and doctors have
malpractice insurance, which is a type of liability insurance that protects healthcare
professionals in a situation of error or wrong doing. Prescribing medications has a large
risk error in which registered nurses would need to evaluate their risk assessment and
possibly have to pay for the pricy malpractice insurance. Jennie Bradford, who is a
principal lecturer at the Middlesex University in London mentions with concern that
[s]ome healthcare organizations are reluctant to allow their staff to undertake this
activity [prescribing] and should they undertake a task not covered by their policy they
may not be protected legally under the vicarious liability of their organization (540).
Although there is a high risk for error in prescribing medications, whether it is dosage
amount or type of medication. All healthcare professionals must consider this risk and
have the appropriate set up depending on the organization to be protected in the possible

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:49 AM

Comment [15]: Good clarification
Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:49 AM
Comment [16]: This quote is
used/framed well.
Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:50 AM
Comment [17]: Should these two
sentences be one?

occurrence of error while prescribing.

Another legal aspect of registered nurses prescribing medications is prescription
drug abuse. Often times healthcare professionals who are in a role of prescribing
medications may abuse this privilege and become addicts themselves or be uneducated in
prescribing medications to patients and prescribe inaccurate medications. An example
being a patient who has come in with a common cold and is prescribed a high dosage of
pain pills when in reality they may have only needed over the counter medications and
fluids.

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:50 AM

Comment [18]: Citation?

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:50 AM

Comment [19]: Doesnt this tie into the
earlier discussion of education?

When healthcare professionals abuse the privilege to prescribe medications and

prescribe themselves various medications they may get caught and lose their certification
to practice resulting in unemployment. This can be devastating due to the amount of
education, dedication, and time it takes to receive the proper certification to work in a
healthcare setting. Also, by having healthcare professionals who become unemployed
because of the problem it further contributes to the shortage in the healthcare setting
resulting in less patients receiving care. Because prescription drug abuse is already an
existing problem in many healthcare settings, registered nurses who choose to receive the
additional education to prescribe medications need to be educated on the risks and how to
prevent this problem. Also for healthcare professionals who do lose their license they can
have the opportunity to appear in court and possibly get their licensing back in order to
practice again.
Another reason registered nurses should be allowed to prescribe medications is
this would eliminate a lot of responsibility that nurse practitioners and doctors already
have on their hands. This would allow nurse practitioners and doctors to apply their
needed knowledge, skills, and expertise in other areas of the healthcare field. For
example: there is a patient who is ill and has strep throat who needs a prescription for
amoxicillin, a common antibiotic. The nurse caring for the patient has the proper
education, certification, and knowledge to know that this given patient needs amoxicillin
and simply writes the prescription and gives it to the patient. On the other hand, the
doctor who did not have to sign off on that prescription is performing an intricate surgery
in which a nurse does not have the skills to do. By broadening the skills a registered nurse

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:51 AM

Comment [20]: You use also a lot.

can perform this can also broaden the various skills that nurse practitioners and doctors
can perform as well, overall increasing patient care as a whole.
The final reason registered nurses should be able to prescribe medications is
because they are healthcare professionals whose job is completely centered on the
patient. Registered nurses often times see and care for the patient more than any other

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:51 AM

Comment [21]: This is a very strong
paragraph.
Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:51 AM
Comment [22]: You use transitional
words well.

healthcare professional. Registered nurses can have important details regarding the
patients diagnosis solely due to the fact that they are around the patient more. The
relationship between a nurse and a patient is crucial in proper care and by having a
registered nurse that can prescribe medications to a given patient will only improve
patient to nurse relationships and patient care as a whole.
Overall, having registered nurses that can prescribe medications will be beneficial
to all areas of the healthcare environment. Although there is a high risk for registered

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:52 AM

Comment [23]: would

nurses prescribing medications there are also many beneficial outcomes as well.
Registered nurses would be able to work more in depth alongside other healthcare
professionals to therefor have improved patient care. Also, registered nurses would be
able to eliminate some responsibilities on other healthcare providers such as doctors or
nurse practitioners who can apply their needed expertise and skills in other areas. Finally,
nurses would be able to establish better relationships with their patients, having detailed
information regarding the patients diagnosis to better prescribe the correct medication.
As a whole, registered nurses should be able to prescribe medications because
they already have a vast skillset and this would be one extra skill that would improve the
overall healthcare environment to provide critical care to patients.

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:52 AM

Comment [24]: This paragraph is kinda
pinky-toed onto the end. Word it in to the
previous or cut it.

Works Cited
Bradford, Jennie. "Medication Administration In The Domiciliary Care Setting: Whose
Role?." British Journal Of Community Nursing 17.11 (2012): 537-542. Academic
Search Complete. Web. 19 Feb. 2015.
Griffiths, Matt. "Medicines Management." Nursing Standard 29.14 (2014): 30. Academic
Search Complete. Web. 19 Feb. 2015.
Content
Description of An Exemplary Position Paper
Points
Area
Argument

The introduction presents an overview of different stances on

_35_/35
the issue, demonstrating an understanding of these views and
contains a main claim statement. The writers main claim is
clearly defined and the writer refers back to this claim
throughout the paper. The writer presents an opposing viewpoint
(acknowledges a counter argument) and successfully argues
against that view. The writer uses at least two scholarly articles
or book chapters with opposing viewpoints to situate his or her
own argument. The writer has a clear understanding of these
articles and uses the research to enhance the writers own
argument.

Analysis

The writer uses secondary sources (articles or book chapters) in _24_/25

their paper to create an effective dialogue with the opinions of
other writers. The writers critical thinking skills enhance their
analysis helping the writer to present his or her own stance on
the issue as an extension of another writers argument or as a
synthesis of two opposing arguments.

Organization

The paper is organized in a logical manner that enhances the

14_/15
flow of the writers argument. The writer has included an
introduction and forward thinking conclusion. Body paragraphs
have topic/point sentences that show the reader the paragraphs
relationship to the argument and concluding sentences. The
writer has used transitions between ideas and paragraphs to add
to his/her ideas clarity.

Presentation
& Format

The report is free of

_10_/10
distracting errors of grammar, punctuation, and spelling. The
report meets the page length requirement. The writer has used
Times/Times New Roman 12 point font; the document in double
spaced, and uses 1 inch margins.

Style

The writer uses an economic style meaning that the language is

concise, not repetitive or overly wordy. Sentence structure and

_4_/5

Sunny Diaz 3/22/2015 11:52 AM

Comment [25]: Good words cited!

meaning is clear.
Cover Letter

The writer has supplied a cover letter that discusses the

rhetorical situation for their document (3 points), overview of
strengths/weaknesses (2 points), a request for specific feedback
(1 point), and a reflection on the required SLOs (4 points).

_8_/10

Total:
96/100
Plus 1 for feedback during peer review.
You always give really great feedback to your group members, which I really appreciate
as Im sure they do as well. Keep up the good work!