Any Psych NPs?

[delamar]

What is a typical day like for you?

Do you like what you do?

Do you have the opportunity to practice therapy?

[funinsun]

Hi all,

I have the very same question.. I spoke to the psychiatrists I work with and they are very upbeat about the psych NP position and that I consider it, but I've never seen any of them in practice. What are their responsibilities regarding meds? As I understand it they facilitate therapy groups, assist with initiating treatment plans, and such? Do they work in primarily inpatient or outpatient settings? Any input would be appreciated!! Merry Christmas..

[spaniel]

I have worked along side Psych NPs. Not one of them did anything but see one person after another prescribing psychotropics. Of course, they are licensed to do psychotherapy, program plan, perform as nurse executives. Alas, I see them generally used to do "quicky" and I mean "quick" assessments for psychotropics. This was discouraging to see, as I would have preferred to see a more rounded role. Of course there is no prohibition against NPs doing their own practice. I wish more of them DID this.

[fidelio]

Hi Spaniel. Happy belated birthday! (per your profile). Could you tell us if those PMHNPs worked inpatient or outpatient? When you say "quick" do you mean less than a half hour for a psych eval and med consult? Thanks for sharing what you know.

[spaniel]

The Psych NPs that go into the nursing homes see patients for about 5 to ten minutes. Quick med evals. These are generally revisits. This was one of the reasons that I chose not to take my employer's offer to "pay" for my MS/NP. I did not want to work in this way and that would have been part of the 'repayment" deal.

[deb18]

I guess i am the lone psych np. Have been workng in a general outpt. office for 9 years or so. we do initials ( long ones, and the physician comes in as well) which are over 2 hours each. we do med checks and therapy. could do groups but I choose not to and no one in the office does although we have talked about it. sometimes take call. do most of the call backs in the office. although i work this as a private practice (I am not employeed by the doc but self-employed) we all work together and share patients. he may see a pt. every 3-6 months and i may see them inbetween unless it is by the pts. request that we do not. therefore, we get to know most of the people in the practice. we only work on an outpt. setting no inpatient. we also go to kids clinics. happy new years (if anything looks funny, i burnt my hand and therefore may be typing fnny.sorry)

[BrandyNP]

I guess i am the lone psych np. Have been workng in a general outpt. office for 9 years or so. we do initials ( long ones, and the physician comes in as well) which are over 2 hours each. we do med checks and therapy. could do groups but I choose not to and no one in the office does although we have talked about it. sometimes take call. do most of the call backs in the office. although i work this as a private practice (I am not employeed by the doc but self-employed) we all work together and share patients. he may see a pt. every 3-6 months and i may see them inbetween unless it is by the pts. request that we do not. therefore, we get to know most of the people in the practice. we only work on an outpt. setting no inpatient. we also go to kids clinics. happy new years (if anything looks funny, i burnt my hand and therefore may be typing fnny.sorry)

I'm not certified as a psych NP, but I have psych experience as a R.N. The state that I live in (TX) is somewhat strict about the NP's practicing in the specialty in which they are licensed, so I can't practice in psych. I remember a FNP in Oklahoma working as a NP in acute care psych! That would never fly in Texas.

[mingus_lost]

Deb, would you be willing to say more about the therapy you do? I know I've talked to a lot of people who think the split whereby patients get meds from the psychiatrist and therapy from the psychologist or counselor is frustrating. It seems like psych NPs could help address this by increasing the number of providers who can provide both meds and therapy, but often the impression I get is that most psych NPs spend almost all their time prescribing. So, I'm enouraged to hear that you do some therapy. How big a part of your work is it, and does it seem to be common or uncommon for other psych NPs you know to do therapy?

[deb18]

Deb, would you be willing to say more about the therapy you do? I know I've talked to a lot of people who think the split whereby patients get meds from the psychiatrist and therapy from the psychologist or counselor is frustrating. It seems like psych NPs could help address this by increasing the number of providers who can provide both meds and therapy, but often the impression I get is that most psych NPs spend almost all their time prescribing. So, I'm enouraged to hear that you do some therapy. How big a part of your work is it, and does it seem to be common or uncommon for other psych NPs you know to do therapy?

Hi. I do not do group therapy, just my preferance. I do insight oriented, interpersonal therapy if you want to put a name on it. not freudian. I also am certified in EMDR for trauma and do a strange thing called tft. When I am in the office, out of about an 8 hour day, typically I have one or two hourly pts. which incorporates both therapy and meds as well. Now, I also go to a kids clinic a couple of times monthly and that is strictly meds ( but at times you cant help but throw in a little therapy lol). The other np in my office also works the same way. I guess we must work in a strange office because even the psychiatrist we work with does some therapy! Of course the therapists can't do meds . some of the pts. do have problems conceptualizing what we do, but eventually they understand. I am not sure what other practices do, but the ones that I know that are in private practice and not only affiliated with hmos do do therapy. There is one psych np here who does not do meds, only therapy. I hope this helps. deb