Supervision requirements of psychiatric CNS by psychiatrist?

[IHeartPeds87]

Hi,

I have a question.

If a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist is working in corrections under a psychiatrist what are the supervisory requirement guidelines for the psychiatrist to follow?

What is within the scope of practice for the psychiatric nurse specialist? What is the psychiatrist's role in relationship to the psychiatric nurse specialist's role?

Looking for guidelines for supervisory requirements for the psychiatrist to follow when a psychiatric clinical nurse practioner is working under/with the psychiatrist.

Thanks!!

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

The scope of practice as well as the supervisory requirements are set out by each state's board of nursing. That would be the first place to look.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I agree with traumaRUS. It depends on the state you live in. I'm a psych CNS in Indiana. I was in practice through 2007. Indiana required my collaborator (not supervisor) to review 10% of the cases, randomly chosen, that I had each week, with me. We met weekly. It required him or her to be available by phone or in person in case I needed to talk about a situation. In our weekly meeting I also brought up concerns that I didn't need to talk about immediately.

My collaborator had to be a psychiatrist. Any other-specialized doctor could not do it. I did not work "under" the psychiatrist. I was seen as an equal. I assessed, prescribed labs, meds, and other treatments, and evaluated effectiveness.

I didn't do ECTs or work with the implantable devices because I didn't have training in those (neither did all the psychiatrists where I worked, so not all of them did those things either). I didn't admit to the psych hospital. If my patients were admitted, the psychiatrist took care of them until they got out. Then they were mine again.

I'd be glad to talk about this more if you want to send me a private message, but do check your state's rules. Some states don't accept that we exist (such as Florida).