Psych APRN psychotherapy?

elkpark · Oct 15, 2015

Psychiatric CNSs received extensive training in psychotherapy (and diagnosis); that is basically what the psych CNS role was, until the psych NP role got invented and a lot of states started blurring the roles. Psych NPs receive little training in therapy, and their education and role is focused on medication management.

Whispera, MSN, RN · Oct 15, 2015

I'm a psych CNS. I didn't get more than a bit of training in school in either therapy or medication management. I had to learn it on my own.

Psych CNS's are used mostly as prescribers where I live. Personally, I much prefer the therapy role.

elkpark · Oct 15, 2015

I'm a psych CNS. I didn't get more than a bit of training in school in either therapy or medication management. I had to learn it on my own.
Psych CNS's are used mostly as prescribers where I live. Personally, I much prefer the therapy role.

Are you a more recent graduate? What did your graduate program focus on? All the psych CNSs I've known over the years (inc. myself) were trained as psychotherapists (plus the standard CNS role stuff, but the psych content was all psychopathology, diagnosis, and therapy).

Infofreak411 · Oct 15, 2015

Psychiatric CNSs received extensive training in psychotherapy (and diagnosis); that is basically what the psych CNS role was, until the psych NP role got invented and a lot of states started blurring the roles. Psych NPs receive little training in therapy, and their education and role is focused on medication management.

What is the difference between a clinical nurse specialist and a aprn?

Trauma Columnist · Oct 15, 2015

Moved to student NP

elkpark · Oct 15, 2015

What is the difference between a clinical nurse specialist and a aprn?

There are four roles that are considered advanced practice nursing; clinical nurse specialists (CNS), nurse practitioners (NP), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA), and certified nurse midwives (CNM). Psych CNSs and psych NPs are both APRNs.

Whispera, MSN, RN · Oct 16, 2015

Are you a more recent graduate? What did your graduate program focus on? All the psych CNSs I've known over the years (inc. myself) were trained as psychotherapists (plus the standard CNS role stuff, but the psych content was all psychopathology, diagnosis, and therapy).

I graduated in 2001. My program focused on general advanced practice nursing things. All in the MSN took the same courses until the last three courses that delved into the specialty. There was some focus on therapy and a semester of clinical in it. The other semester was more about community psych nursing and patient education. I had no courses in psychopharm and only got that when I took an independent study course after graduation.

I was grossly unprepared by my program.

elkpark · Oct 16, 2015

I was grossly unprepared by my program.

Wow, I'm sorry to hear that ...

Jules A, MSN · Oct 16, 2015

My school, a well respected state university, was a NP program that functioned more like a CNS program so while we got the few required NP pharmacology credits we also got way too much psychotherapy, imo. I didn't mind the classes but really wanted more indepth pharm and as a NP I don't do therapy. I'm fortunate to work with excellent therapists who do therapy at a fraction of my billing rate.

Infofreak411 · Oct 16, 2015

There are four roles that are considered advanced practice nursing; clinical nurse specialists (CNS), nurse practitioners (NP), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA), and certified nurse midwives (CNM). Psych CNSs and psych NPs are both APRNs.

OK so what is the difference between a nurse practitioner and a clinical nurse specialist?

elkpark · Oct 16, 2015

OK so what is the difference between a nurse practitioner and a clinical nurse specialist?

Is there something stopping you from looking that up yourself? That information is freely available (elsewhere on this site, even). Nursing is all about knowing (figuring out) how and where to find the information you need.