I was just wondering how psychiatrists view psych nurse practitioners. I am considering both the MD and the psych nursing degree, but seeing as their scope of practice is incredibly similar, do MD's feel they are in competition with the RN's or is it more of a collaborative environment?
I think in general there tends to be a good relationship between the two disciplines. While there is always the potential for conflict between people who work together, I have always sensed a pretty positive collaboration there. I think perhaps because doctors and nurses have a long and established pattern of working together that starts early in the clinical experience of each, there may be a particularly natural set of expectations in the relationship.
I would add, however, that in considering a career choice I feel that psychiatry offers a far greater variety of practice options than nursing does. You may want to look further into the idea that the scope of practice is incredibly similar.
I'm not sure exactly what a "psych nursing" degree is, but I know that nurse practitioners can do quite a bit of treatment, as can physician assistants. I think there is more overlap between those areas of practice, even though the nature of training is a bit different. Psychiatrists have much more extensive training than either, and also have a lot more flexibility in what they are capable of offering when it comes to treatment, mostly as a result of the more comprehensive training.
Overall, it depends on the people whether there is collaboration or not. A few physicians feel threatened by nurse practioners or physician assistants, feeling they are invading their "turf". However, I think most doctors feel that there is a valuable role for nurse practioners and physician assistants - although not necessarily as a replacement for a psychiatris.
Doctors that are employing (and profiting off of) psychiatric nurse practitioners often have a good collaborative relationship.
Many other doctors resent them and view it as an invasion of their turf. It's all about the benjamins.
[ Edited by Admin on 2005/1/20 7:13 ]
I refer to nurse practicioners in private practice for services I feel individual nurse practicioners are skilled at. This collaboration doesn't benefit me except in that it provides good treatment for the person I've referred. To suggest that doctors who are collaborative with nurse practioners tend to be those that profit off them is cynical.