Published
Maybe not much, but, for better or worse, "psychiatry" is specifically defined and commonly understood as a branch of medicine, and psychiatrists are specifically defined and commonly understood to be physicians. One might just as well ask why psychologists don't refer to themselves as "testing psychiatrists" -- it's because what they do isn't practicing psychiatry; it's something somewhat related but significantly different. Same with psychiatric nursing and psychiatry.
SycamoreGuy
363 Posts
Just curious... Could a PMHNP refer to them self or their practice as nurse psychiatry or a nurse psychiatrist like CRNAs refer to themselves as nurse anestatists?