Understanding the Role of a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Newly a Psych NP in 2020, I was surrounded by this subtle pressure to “line up” with the medical model-because that’s the dominant framework in psychiatry. It’s what most clinics are built around. It’s the rhythm everyone assumes we’re supposed to match. And I get it. Our healthcare system values speed over connection. “Efficiency” over impact. But as a nurse, I saw early on that the “move fast” model doesn’t always leave people better than you found them. Sometimes it does the opposite. And whe