Present Tense Psychiatry

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners (NPPs) provide independant care to individuals, families or populations who are at risk for developing or who have common, acute or chronic mental health problems, illnesses or crises.

Using advanced clinical judgment and practice, NPPs assess, diagnose, plan, implement, intervene, manage and evaluate plans of care – including treatment with psychotropic medications; individual, group and family psychotherapy; case management and consultation.

Psychiatric NPs also are able to evaluate and monitor co-morbid occurrences and conditions secondary to mental health. To help meet the growing demand for mental health services, NPPs are prepared to work both independently and collaboratively with psychiatrists and other mental health care professionals to deliver much needed mental health care to underserved populations in both rural and urban settings. In New York, NPP's practice independently, with collaborative relationships in the community, to provide psychiatric services- medication management, psychological assessment and psychotherapy to persons in need of mental health services. They are licensed and certified to provide psychiatric medication management for patients just as a psychiatrist.