rx auth for psychologists

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As a psychiatric nurse practitioner student in the great NW, I am beginning to wonder how my future practice will be affected if the current legislation pending in the OR state senate to grant rx authority to psychologists actually passes this time. I am curious if there are any NPs in Louisiana or New Mexico who can describe how their practice has been affected by psychologists getting prescriptive authority in their states. Thanks.

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I too am very interested in hearing about everyone's experiences with RxP Psychologists. I have talked with a couple people from Louisiana, and it is a mixed bag.

From the people I talked to down in LA, there is a HUGE need for clinicans in general. I read that only 15-20% of psychiatrists (and a similar % of psychologists) moved back to the area, so that put them in even a bigger lurch. I know a psychiatrist down there and a prescribing psychologist, and they both are doing quite well. The prescribing psych is in one of the hospitals, and the psychiatrist moonlights.

As someone looking to relocate down there once I finish up my training (as a clinician / prescribing psych), it seems promising....though there are definitely downsides. I've been told real estate is hit and miss, crime can be a problem, the biz community is still very much in flux, and the schools aren't very good. I have other interests outside of my clinical work, so I'm a bit hesitant to move somewhere that doesn't have a solid business community.

I think it is somewhat of a unique situation, since there is such a need for people, so I'm not sure how that would change if prescribing rights were given in a place that isn't in as much need. I was following the bills in CA closely (I believe a lack of cooperation between the two proposed bills really cost them in the end), and was trying to posit what they would have done for the area. There are definitely 'need' areas in CA, but I'm not sure how it would effect major cities.

Prescribing rights are definitely coming for more/most of the states, so I guess we'll see soon enough how it goes.

-t

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Hi- "therapist 4Change", we've "met" on a previous discussion. I'm the person who's dually licensed as RN and psychologist. And a bit old- and with a major tendency to vacillate... I go back and forth between going to a local NP psych school, then forgetting about it due to the fortune I'd rack up.. time investment,etc. Now I'm curious, how easily do you think it is to get license reciprococity in La. as a psychologist? ( As an RN- very easy).

By the way, the local NP program,which is pretty decent just raised tuition again. And like you, I have other interests-am in 3 music groups. Alas, my dear husband and I still have a house to pay off. But I figure, if I need to work til age 80 I might as well have RxP in some form>>> Being silly here.

But seriously, I do so much interfacing on serious med/surg issues anyway,I would do well to have the RxP... maybe.

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Hi- "therapist 4Change", we've "met" on a previous discussion. I'm the person who's dually licensed as RN and psychologist. And a bit old- and with a major tendency to vacillate... I go back and forth between going to a local NP psych school, then forgetting about it due to the fortune I'd rack up.. time investment,etc. Now I'm curious, how easily do you think it is to get license reciprococity in La. as a psychologist? ( As an RN- very easy).

license reciprocity for clinical work.....i'm guessing easier than other states like FL, NY, CA...consider there is a shortage of clinicians. You'd have to check the licensing board for details, but I don't think it'd be a big deal.

By the way, the local NP program,which is pretty decent just raised tuition again.

But seriously, I do so much interfacing on serious med/surg issues anyway,I would do well to have the RxP... maybe.

A friend of mine just finished her NP training, and though we haven't exchanged notes yet, I think NP training and the RxP training is a bit different (by looking at the curriculums of different programs). I'm not sure if that is good or bad...just different.

I feel like a much more informed clinician because of my RxP training (which is still on-going). I am almost always in favor of more education, but it seems funny that clinical psychologists don't get more training in this area, considering how much we run into it.

With that being said, if I was an RN already, I'd probably look at NP training, since it is much more portable between the states, and it would teach to your experience. I happen to like the RxP training because it teaches to the knowledge of a clinical psychologist, and can skip over a lot of the dx stuff since that is an area of strength, and instead focus on the hard sciences, med choice, etc.

-t

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