I have worked in psych my entire professional nursing career and got certified as an FNP for th mere issues of physicians not wanting to care for the entire person. The thing we used to call wholistic nursing. I don't understand as I branch out why I have to be certified in Psych NP to work with patient with mental health issues if I am certified to work with patient acrosss the whole spectrum of lifespan, includes the mind. At least I thought. I am certainly in agreement for having either treat patients as long as you can back yourself up with experience. My patients love seeing me and would rather, NP's are just a different breed of healthcare. We do shoot ourselves in the foot for not being more cohesive with issues and decisions. One body, one set of rules and we would out number doc's. Grandfather those states who do not have to take national cert test and be done with it. Let all do schedule II-IV and be done with it. We need to band together and fight for what we have been doing for years, taking care of the patients who need us and letting the doctor be the hero. I am not saying we do not need physicians, because we do, but I think there is room for everyone. I belong to a lot of nursing organizations and have presented on many topics. I was at a hospital not to long ago (renal floor) who had put patient in restraints from the night before probably warranted, however, got there in AM and she was still in 4 point. I asked for them to be removed and all the nurses looked at me like I was insane. I spoke with doctor and had orders changed.