Hi there, I needed help writing an assignment. For a Nursing course of Psychiatr

Hi there, I needed help writing an assignment. For a Nursing course of Psychiatric for nurse practitioners. Masters level. I have to reply to this posting by classmate, where I agree or disagree; from reading I agree with this posting. Responses should be a minimum of 250 words, scholarly written, APA formatted, and referenced. A minimum of 2 references are required past 10-years. Please include DIO with references.
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) can provide comprehensive primary care services like psychiatrists (Chapman et al., 2018). They can conduct assessments and manage disorders through evaluation, psychotherapy, and medication management. Despite the increasing demand for PMHNPs, some states in the U.S. have limitations on their ability to practice to the full extent of their education and scope. Research has demonstrated that the quality of care PMHNPs provide is comparable to that of psychiatrists, resulting in positive health outcomes for the patients they provide services to; however, they are not reimbursed at physicians’ Medicaid fee-for-service rate.
The Health Resources and Services Administrations Bureau of Health Workforce has identified more than 4,700 areas with a shortage of Mental Health Professionals. This shortage affects over 100 million people in total. Around 62% of these areas are in partially rural regions. Among health professionals’ psychiatrists are particularly scarce, and their numbers are decreasing. According to this analysis, the ratio of psychiatrists per 100,000 U.S. residents decreased by 10.2% between 2003 and 2013. This decline can be attributed to physicians not applying for psychiatric residency training and many psychiatrists approaching retirement age. Moreover, PMHNPs have the potential to address workforce shortages in healthcare in underserved areas. Their impact on health services is particularly significant for women, racial minorities, rural populations, and individuals struggling with substance use disorders (Chapman et al., 2018).
State regulations play a role in determining the availability of PMHNP services (Chapman et al., 2018). When states grant practice authority to PMHNPs, it leads to an expanded nurse practitioner (NP) workforce and improved healthcare access, particularly in rural areas. Some stakeholders recognize the contributions of PMHNPs to the health workforce and advocate for support in terms of training and payment while also calling for removing barriers imposed by federal and state laws. However, limited research exists regarding the implications of PMHNP contributions within practice settings (Chapman et al., 2018).
Another vital issue is how PMHNPs are valued and paid. While there are models of the PMHNP’s impact as direct care providers, they do not fully cover all the factors related to the types of services billed by PMHNPs; these projections also do not include the costs involved in physician supervision in states where it is necessary (Barnes et al., 2016). One study illustrated the effect reimbursement rates have on NPs. A national sample was taken of 252,657 ambulatory practices to examine the outcomes that state policies had on NP employment in primary care and practice Medicaid acceptance; the odds were 13% higher in states that allowed NPs to practice to the full extent of their scope, interestingly, those odds increased to 20% in states that gave NPs 100% reimbursement at the physicians Medicaid fee-for-service rate. Moreover, the odds of NPs accepting Medicaid compared to those who do not were 23% higher (Barnes et al., 2016).
The growing need for healthcare services in mental health has emphasized the potential contribution of PMHNPs as a solution. To enhance NP involvement in care and improve access to healthcare, lifting restrictions on the scope of practice and enhancing Medicaid reimbursement rates are required (Barnes et al., 2016). These strategies will ultimately address provider shortages while improving patient care. Achieving this goal requires NPs to play an active role in the advocacy of health policy reform.