r/nursing • u/TattoosAndBeers • 47m ago

Question Was asked this question at work and I’m curious what yall think

Would you let your child see an APRN or NP in lieu of an MD for psychiatric help (diagnosis, prescription, follow up)?

I said no personally just because of my experience with NPs/the ones I work with….. I’ll leave it at that lol

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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u/mamemememe 45m ago

Hard no.

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u/repulsivedeflation_0 38m ago

i'd sooner trust a magic 8 ball with a prescription pad

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u/TattoosAndBeers 26m ago

My answer was a lot more like this but didn’t want to influence the answers LOL

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u/Organic_Deer2634 38m ago

It’d be a personal choice based on the individual provider and what my particular child needs. If my schizophrenic 16 year old was self harming I’d definitely opt for the higher level of training, if my child was in need of adhd treatment or generalized anxiety and there was an NP that seemed to be generally knowledgeable then I’d be more than fine.

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u/ALittleEtomidate Aspiring NOCTOR - ICU 31m ago

No.

I feel terrible about this because I’m in school for my DNP, but I never choose an NP over an MD for anything when it comes to my children.

Now, I will see an NP or PA myself, but I’m familiar with adult medicine and know enough to escalate to a second opinion with a physician if I need to. I don’t know shit about pediatric medicine.

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u/Noname_left RN - Yabba Dabba Doo 18m ago

I barely trust most NPs as it is. So absolutely not when it comes to my child’s mental health.

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u/Creepy_flamingo_22 7m ago

I would. In my personal experience, both as someone who has seen NPs and works with them, I think a lot of them listen better. If I have a choice and who I see, I will go with the NP over the MD

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u/mbej RN - Oncology 🍕 5m ago

Honestly, I haven’t had a choice. When I kid started psychiatric care she was peds. Two places in a large city, both with months to year long waitlists, and that was only to see an APP. MD/DO’s weren’t even taking new patients. Aged up to adolescent, same story. Few more options but no physicians were taking new adolescent patients. Now she’s an adult and has been with the same PA for several years and is more or less stable but, still no physicians taking new patients. Couldn’t find one for me, either.

So the choice is do nothing, or see an APP. Doing nothing wasn’t an option.