Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners?

Specialties NP

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This question is for paychiatric nurse pracitioners... if you reside in a state where NP's cannot prescribe controlled drugs... there goes the majority of the medications you are able to prescribe tof psych patients... so what do psychiatric nurse practitinerary do in those states? Refer out?

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What "majority" of psych medications are you thinking of, that are schedule drugs??

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What "majority" of psych medications are you thinking of, that are schedule drugs??

Like benzos and most stimulants for instance.

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Specializes in Internal Medicine.

The "majority" of psych medications aren't scheduled, and the psych NP's I work with rarely prescribe benzos. In fact most times we refer to psych, they do a fantastic job of taking patients off medications like benzos and treat them more appropriately.

While I'm sure working in a state with a more limited practice authority is inconvenient to a psych NP, it isn't much of a handcuff like you assume.

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Like benzos and most stimulants for instance.

I figured benzos were what you were thinking of ... I'm with Riburn. Most psych providers do little prescribing of benzos and stimulants, unless they are the quacks running "pill mills." Responsible providers are going to a lot of trouble to avoid prescribing benzos and stimulants.

The majority of psych medications are not schedule drugs.

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I almost wish I did work in a state where NPs couldn't prescribe benzos or stims. If that was the case it would completely remove all the confrontation inherent in being a responsible prescriber. It would be so nice to just say "sorry, I cannot prescribe you this medication as we live in a state with outlandish and outdated practice restrictions."

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