I am personally struggling with the issue of "all adv practice psych np programs must have psych np as coordinator" (according to NONPF guidelines and NTE task force in believe.)
I have been an APRN since 1992 ling before the option of psych np existed. I helped to design and develop and teach in the first program we offered for students sit for either the CNS or the NP exam. But now, that's not good enough (feels devaluing to me) and if i am to stay as coordinator will have to go back and basically do a whole post masters (18 hrs) in some of the very classes I teach!
I would need to do clinical hours with a population I have seen for years to meet "paper req.'s." This seems so absurd to me. I think much of the rhetorical discussion about role differences just are not applicable in the real world of practice. I saw the survey (but now can't find it sonif anyone can give me the ref I who'd appreciate it) related the very notion that psych cns's and psych np's do same roles ( with exception of states who prohibit cns from prescriptive authority and cns's can get higher salaries in hospital setting etc). My practice partner is a psych np and we do exactly the same thing. I am 56 and really do not want to go back and take courses that I teach. I would also have to take the 3 p's which I understand theoretically but feel I am not lacking in my knowledge in any of those areas that hurts my patients. I dont understand why psych np's have to take the 3 p's ( I know the arguments for) and other np's ie family and womens health do not equally have to take the "psych 3p's - ie psychopath, psychopharm, and psych assessment. Almost all of them prescribe psych meeds with no training in dx, meds, psych asst. On the same hand I DO NOT prescribe and manage pain meeds, antibiotics, diabetic meds etc. It seems quite incongruent to me and an additional burden for my students who are not as familiar with regular patho, pharm, and physical asst, so when taking those courses they have to put so much extra time into that work instead of the focus of their practice which are the psych courses. I have heard this as the ongoing complaint for years. I think to be consistent if the psych students have to take the 3p's, then all other practitioner students should have to take the "psych 3p's." to me if you are really looking at the real world of practice, this needs to be considered if we are to be congruent with our intentions and actions!
Please pardon typo's. I am on Ipad and can't scroll up to correct. I really would like to hear others opinions on this issue.
Sincerely
Debbie Thomas