Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner vs. Psychiatrist
By the Nova Mental Health Clinical Team
If you’ve started looking for help with medication, you’ve probably noticed two titles: psychiatrist and psychiatric nurse practitioner. Both can evaluate your symptoms, make a diagnosis and prescribe medication. Here’s how they differ, and what to expect at Nova.
What a psychiatric nurse practitioner does
A psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) is an advanced practice nurse with a graduate degree in psychiatric-mental health nursing. PMHNPs assess, diagnose and treat mental health conditions, prescribe and adjust medication, and track how treatment is working over time.
After their graduate training, PMHNPs can take the national board exam from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Those who pass earn the PMHNP-BC credential, which stands for board certified, and renew it every five years with continuing education. They also hold a state license to practice.
What a psychiatrist does
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (MD or DO) who completed medical school and a psychiatry residency. Psychiatrists also diagnose and prescribe, and they often see the most medically complex cases.
Which one do you need?
For most adults looking for help with depression, anxiety, mood changes or trauma, either can evaluate you and manage medication. What often matters more is:
- Time with you. A thorough first evaluation and regular follow-ups.
- Connection to your therapy. Your prescriber and therapist working from the same plan.
- Access. How soon you can get a first appointment.
How medication management works at Nova
At Nova Mental Health in Fair Lawn, medication management is part of Adult Partial Care and is led by our board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner.
- Psychiatric evaluation. Your history, current symptoms, past medications and what has or hasn’t worked.
- A plan with your therapist. Medication decisions are made alongside your therapy goals, not in a separate office across town.
- Follow-up visits. Regular check-ins to see what’s working, manage side effects and adjust.
As you step down to IOP or Outpatient care, medication management continues with you.
Get started
Call (551) 733-2282. Someone from our admissions team will answer your questions, check your insurance and schedule your evaluation. You can also verify your insurance online.
Sources: ANCC Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification (PMHNP-BC); American Psychiatric Association.
