Thread: "Psychiatrist" - Doctor vs Nurse Practitioner, what's the difference?

I am currently seeing a "psychiatrist" for drugs relating to my anxiety and depression problems. Recently I had to find a new psychiatrist, and, as it turns out, he's a "nurse practitioner", not a "doctor". I'm just curious, what is the difference? He seems like he knows more than the last guy...

My son's psychiatrist has a nurse practitioner that works with him. The nurse practitioner seems more interested in my son's issues than the actual doctor. She only consults with the Dr if she can't do something on her own. If I need notes for his school or if he neeRAB specific testing orders... or if he was to be admitted to a psyche ward that is where the actual DOCTOR would step in. Otherwise he lets the nurse practitioner do most the work. Psychiatrists are usually weird and hard to talk to - and any other doctor. I was reffered to this one by my son's pediatrician because she said he was the only one in the area who seemed like a half-way normal person.