Posted by Geaux Tigers! on December 9, 2012, at 18:46:32
I'm an Associate Professor at a nursing college. I only teach two courses. I teach Nursing 4004 - Mental Health Nursing and Nursing 4005 - Advanced Adult Health Nursing. These are classes that every nursing graduate must complete. Basically, I train my students how to evaluate a patient's mental health and how to provide first line treatment using psychotropics (e.g. midazolam for anxiety, quietipine for a violent patient). I tell them the best way to write a proper referral to a PDOC.
I am a PDOC in a way. APRNs here are allowed to write scripts with a doctor's approval. Some have their own offices where they rely on the patient to correlate care with their own physician which is a pain the *ss. I did not want to have to set up an office. So that only left me working under a psychiatrist at a clinic. I don't like the idea of working below somebody; therefore, I gave up 'professional' life in a way and be a nursing school professor. It's not a bad career, I enjoy it.
Yes, I write scripts. The hospital, in addition to the college, pays me to be there as well as a consultant at an hourly rate anytime I am there, including teaching my class. I literally treat patients in that hospital who need help. There are no psychiatric physicians at the hospital, but there is one that is also hired as a consultant that signs my legal papers so I can manage care and prescribe drugs. He operates his own clinic. Because I am hired as a consultant, the hospital requires me to 'bill' my hours to their outsourced psychiatrist. The insurance process is too wild. Trust me, I want it to be this way, it's like I'm working under him -- sure -- but only so it's legal. If a patient pays out of pocket they write a check to the "real" psychiatrist but I get 90% of the monies. If a patient's insurance pays for my fee to the psychiatrist who will pay my monies out at the end of the month.
My life is working out well. I get paid by the college, by the hospital, and then I make my own money treating patients as if I were a real psychiatrist.
The hospital is kind enough to give me an office. For me to keep my hospital consultant pay, I treat all patients who seek psychological care during treatment. Of course, these patients could go to any psychiatrist if they had a referral, but I am suggested because the hospital indirectly makes money off of my treatment. The hospital can't afford their own psychiatrist. A lot of people's insurance won't pay for a psychiatrist and I live in a rural area -- so my office visits are cheaper than in a lot of areas.
Basically, what happens is, a patient requests psychological help during their stay at the hospital-- say for trauma -- for say, PTSD. The doctors have no idea what to do in this case but they can add me to their bill and I can diagnose and prescribe. I treat around ten or so new patients every week at the hospital until they are discharged. But I have "permanent" patients. I take my repeat patients whom need counseling and do monthly visits with them. I do around 30min. sessions only, depending on volume less. It is around 12-18 people a day.
tl;dr: I am a PMH-APRN who has regular and irregular temporary patients at the hospital
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Questions:
1. What combination of psychiatric drugs has worked to improve your lifestyle? What are you diagnosed with?
2. What drugs do you abuse and what prescription drugs help with your abuse problem?What I'm interested in, professionally, is what drug cocktails have worked you? I like to study how each interacts with each other. This is would be beneficial for my knowledge and may help future patients.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
Also, if you have any questions for me, feel free to ask!
Any advice for me for treating patients?
poster:Geaux Tigers!
thread:1032714
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20121130/msgs/1032714.html