I am a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) that will be working on an inpatient child and adolescent psychiatry unit. I will be the only provider. No attending psychiatrist. The child and adolescent psychiatrists all work outpatient. I will be doing inpatient before lunch and after lunch I will see patients in the outpatient setting.

As a PMHNP, I have worked as a new grad in a private practice that has two sides (ADHD specialty center & general mental health side seeing patients all across the lifespan). As a psychiatric nurse, I have worked on inpatient child and adolescent units at a standalone psychiatric hospital then I transferred to an academic teaching hospital working on an inpatient adult psychiatric unit.

Currently, in the outpatient setting, I am comfortable with the conservative approach of prescribing, as that is what my medical director also encourages. I am nervous about being an inpatient provider because I worry about what if I'm not aggressive enough (prescribing) and the patient is not getting better quickly, what will others think of my prescribing habits, and about just the more acute nature of the patients.

Any tips and advice regarding favorite PRNs to use for anxiety or agitation and just in general?

Thank you!