mental health nurse practitioner scope of practice??

I am a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist working in a Psych NP position. I got my degree before there were psych np's. My program and psychiatry at the time (1993) was very therapy oriented. I can prescribe in 34 states. The CNS role varies by state. Most of the states where I can prescribe require physician collaboration. I find it helpful to discuss how I am thinking about my patients in a supervisory model. I have had very good physician supervisors/collaborators and have learned a lot from them. I think the trend is toward having minimal supervision and I think this is a shame. I am mostly prescribing now and this is fine--I try to incorporate counseling whenever I can.

Just FYI, There's a book that spells all this out in glorious, but concise detail for all the states: "The Nurse Practitioner's Business Practice and Legal Guide, Third Edition," Carolyn Buppert ISBN: 9780763749330. You can also, of course look at the state practice acts to determine this too.