Changing roles for psychiatric clinical nurse specialists: prescriptive privileges

Interest was expressed at the mental health center in expanding the role of psychiatric clinical nurse specialists to include prescribing medications. There is a definite need for this expanded prescriptive role. The goals of improving patient access to care, offering quality service and cost effectiveness can be met by the psychiatric clinical nurse specialist certified by ANA. The functions of a CNS in a collaborative role with psychiatrists would involve promotion and health maintenance, evaluation, intake screening, health teaching, community action, and advanced psychobiological interventions including the prescribing of pharmacological agents. The ARNP, CS could alleviate the case load for pharmacological evaluation for the psychiatrists and enhance access to pharmacological management. The change in the Kentucky law giving prescriptive privileges to ARNPs makes this role feasible.