Role of psych CNS/NP in Acute Care Hospital?

[normj]

Hi,

Anyone care to elaborate on the role and need for psych CNS/NPs in the Acute care hospital setting? In particular, I am wondering about how often they are employed to do psych rounds on med/surg and critical care to evaluate patients and write orders/teach nurses on topics related to the care of psych patients with medical disorders (and vice versa).

Anyone work with, or are you, a CNS/NP employed in this capacity?

Norm - soon to be psych nuse doing my med/surg penance ...

[Osorry1]

I did a clinical rotation on the Consultation liaison psychiatry service. After this rotation, they are now hiring a Psych NP to work with the psychaitry service. The NP aids in this service to complete psychiatric assessments on med/surg/ICU/Neuro patients with psych needs. I did more direct care with training staff to address particular patient needs (dealing with substance abusers, etc.) We diagnose, recommend medications, work with nursing and other services to provide appropriate care and referrals (and frequently serve as sounding boards to allow staff to vent their frustrations!). This is a growing area in Psych NP services, and I've seen numerous job postings for positions of this type.

[normj]

This is a growing area in Psych NP services, and I've seen numerous job postings for positions of this type.

Thanks Osorry! That is exactly the kind of thing I thought I might hear ... I know we could use that in our joint, especially since a "Psych Consult" on a med/surg floor where I am at consists of a pissy psychiatry resident coming up and "evaluating" the patient then leaving in a huff after doing nothing ... I can't wait to finish my year of med/surg so I get into psych where i belong ...

[normj]

This is a growing area in Psych NP services, and I've seen numerous job postings for positions of this type.

Thanks Osorry! That is exactly the kind of thing I thought I might hear ... I know we could use that in our joint, especially since a "Psych Consult" on a med/surg floor where I am at consists of a pissy psychiatry resident coming up and "evaluating" the patient then leaving in a huff after doing nothing ... I can't wait to finish my year of med/surg so I get into psych where i belong ...

[lcsw2aprn]

I work as a psych NP in a state psych hospital. We can do anything execpt admit, discharge and give the admission diagnosis or d/c diagnosis.

I did a rotation at an acute medical hosptial and the Psych NP was able to do the psych consults and the bedside in the med floor/ICU etc., however her covering MD had to do the follow-up and sign off.

Al