The CNS role as an APRN must be preserved in Virginia. Like me, many advanced practice nurses who provide psychiatric care are CNS. We were certified as CNS before the Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner role came into existence and most of us have many years of experience and often we have prescriptive authority as I do.

I work providing care to inmates in corrections and I am able to perform the same job responsibilities as my psychiatric NP colleagues - providing psychiatric evaluations, medication management, and therapy to patients. Please continue to recognize the CNS as APRN and allow well prepared and experienced advanced practice nurses to provide care for psychiatric patients in Virginia.
 
 
Linda Barloon, RN, MS, PMHCNS (certified child and adolescent psychiatric clinical nurse specialist)