Alphabet Soup of a Title

[jfmDNP]

I've heard from many others referring to the acronyms used by nurses after their name as being an alphabet soup, and I agree. It's superfluous. I understand that not all RNs have a BSN and not all APRNs are NPs or CRNAs. But wouldn't it serve to better succinctly clarify our title by limiting it to a single acronym?

As with physicians, one can be a pediatrician, rheumatologist or dermatologist and still be John Doe/Jane Doe, MD. It's a given that an NP is an RN/BSN with a minimum masters degree and is also an APRN. And now with the DNP, it's understood than an NP with a DNP is all those other things mentioned with the added educational accomplishment. What's the point with writing Jane Doe, DNP, FNP-BC, AGACNP-C, APRN, MSN, RN (While their colleagues just write Jane Doe, MD or John Doe, PharmD)? Why not just be John Doe/Jane Doe, DNP? I find even adding FNP, PNP, AGACNP, CNM, PMHNP excessive, so I typically shy away from writing it after my name.

Any thoughts on this?

[llg, PhD, RN]

13 hours ago, PollywogNP said:

@llg What is an “NPD”?

NPD-BC is my specialty certification, which is offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. The NPD stands for "Nursing Professional Development" -- the specialty of those of who focus on the education and professional development of nurses outside of academia. Most people think of it as "staff development, " but it actually includes a bit more than just the typical staff development classes and such.

[adventure_rn, MSN, NP]

On 5/25/2020 at 1:07 AM, ArmaniX said:

I only list the important stuff.

Armani MSN CRNP AGACNP-BC Honor Roll Student (2nd grade).

Ooh, I nominate the title of Crusty Old Bat.

Granted, I'd only be Adventure BSN, RN CCRN-Neonatal, CCRN-Pediatric, RNC-NIC, COB-it (Crusty Old Bat--in training)

[PumpkinEater, MSN]

I totally agree. I had them print my ID badge with only "NP". Simple. Clear.

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

On 5/27/2020 at 9:57 PM, PollywogNP said:

@llg What is an “NPD”?

@jfmDNP But the DNP is your degree, & does not tell us if you’re FNP or other specialty.

Its worse in academia, many could not understand that it was redundant to put RN after FNP. It’s also redundant to say -BC since everyone is board certified in NP world. However when a physician is Board Certified it indicates a fellowship or other training.

-BC indicates that they were certified by ANCC. -C indicates that they were certified by AANPCB.

Alphabet soup has a place in professional communication, but half the problem is that most nurses start out in associates programs and never learn the Degree, License, Certification, Fellowship order, instead adding things on willy-nilly. However, when you sign you sign with your license - RN, APN, whatever. Putting just "DNP" after your name either leaves the reader clueless as to what you actually are (CNM? CRNA? NP?) or is an attempt to hide the fact that the person got a DNP in a specialty for which it is inappropriate, such as Leadership or Education.

[jfmDNP]

It's the superfluity that is the issue. I do not think it's a concern of cluelessness per se to simply have DNP, or what have you, after one's name. A person with a masters and DNP in leadership with RN experience in community health without other appropriate credentialing would not be hired as a cardiac ICU provider as that would be a liability issue. You won't find an MD specializing in electrophysiology working at a GI practice doing endoscopic procedures for a similar reason, yet both providers will simply display 'MD' at the end of their names. There is no confusion.

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

3 hours ago, jfmDNP said:

It's the superfluity that is the issue. I do not think it's a concern of cluelessness per se to simply have DNP, or what have you, after one's name. A person with a masters and DNP in leadership with RN experience in community health without other appropriate credentialing would not be hired as a cardiac ICU provider as that would be a liability issue. You won't find an MD specializing in electrophysiology working at a GI practice doing endoscopic procedures for a similar reason, yet both providers will simply display 'MD' at the end of their names. There is no confusion.

But MD does double-duty as both Medical Degree and signifier of licensure. If you want to make the equivalent argument for nurses, you'd want NPs to only display "APRN" or whatever the state-specific licensure variant is. The DNP is irrelevant to clinical practice - and I say so as a DNP-entry NP.

[jfmDNP]

The environment connotes one's area of expertise. John Doe, DNP in the ER treating patients expresses the underlying knowledge that they have acute care qualifications; HR and the hiring manager will have verified this. Adding DNP, AGACNP, APRN to their name can certainly add clarity that John Doe is certified to treat patients in that clinical setting but again, the environment and clinician's scope of practice would already denote that.

It never crossed my mind that my PhD wielding anatomy professor may actually have possessed a master's and PhD in English literature with a specialty in modernism in literary thought. The anatomy labs and their lectures connoted their area of expertise.

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

13 minutes ago, jfmDNP said:

The environment connotes one's area of expertise. John Doe, DNP in the ER treating patients expresses the underlying knowledge that they have acute care qualifications; HR and the hiring manager will have verified this. Adding DNP, AGACNP, APRN to their name can certainly add clarity that John Doe is certified to treat patients in that clinical setting but again, the environment and clinician's scope of practice would already denote that.

It never crossed my mind that my PhD wielding anatomy professor may actually have possessed a master's and PhD in English literature with a specialty in modernism in literary thought. The anatomy labs and their lectures connoted their area of expertise.

You've not responded to what I said. If you want the one-size-fits credential, then it's the APRN, since that's what legally lets you diagnose and treat as a provider. The DNP is superfluous.

[jfmDNP]

3 hours ago, TheSquire said:

But MD does double-duty as both Medical Degree and signifier of licensure. If you want to make the equivalent argument for nurses, you'd want NPs to only display "APRN" or whatever the state-specific licensure variant is. The DNP is irrelevant to clinical practice - and I say so as a DNP-entry NP.

It does not. To be licensed and certified as an MD you must first graduate med school, complete residency and pass the boards. Graduating med school with a diploma without the aforementioned steps does not confer a medical license. Based on your premise, it should be cardiologist Jane Doe, MD, IM-C, ACA-BC so as not to be confused with pulmonologist Jane Doe, MD, IM-C, APCCSD-BC.

MD is a degree. DNP is a degree. MDs are physicians. Again, based on your premise their title ought to be Jane Doe, PhyS.

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

It does; it makes no sense other than that it's old, but it does. There are better hills to die on than trying to force title parity with physicians.

[nursetim, NP]

I try to K. I. S. S. the only thing after my name is ANP, on formal occasions ANP-BC.

[Tegridy]

Most normal people put just their highest degree. 
 

any more and honestly I would not want to associate myself with that person out of nauseation