AMA must be disturbed

jer_sd · Sep 18, 2006

So are you going to advise your patients that you are a non-physician provider, or you just would tell them I'm Dr. so and so? This will really be misleading for a pt, and that's the reason for this bill (one out of many to follow, I believe).

Sorry for the confusion. When I said I would have dr. And credentials, I meant that it would clarify what type of practitioner I am. This will likley never happen since I have no desire to go for a DNP or other degree at this time.

But if a health care provider has a terminal degree, is functioning within their respective role, and following the state laws for title..... I strongly feel they should be able to use the title Dr. They earned the degree. I agree you need to clarify to make sure patients know the type of provider but Dr. Is not only reserved for MD/DO/DDS/DMD.

There are already laws in states to protect titles, this is simply a power move. Now if I had proof that this potential change will help patients then I might be convinced to change my mind.

Just my opinions.

MS, APRN, BC, FNP · Sep 18, 2006

I don't see anything wrong with a DNP saying:

"Hello, I'm Dr. Smith, your nurse practitioner today. How are you doing?"

This way the patient can rest assured that they are not getting an MD, and are recieving the best care available.

caldje · Sep 18, 2006

I don't see anything wrong with a DNP saying:
"Hello, I'm Dr. Smith, your nurse practitioner today. How are you doing?"
This way the patient can rest assured that they are not getting an MD, and are recieving the best care available.

What do you think the patient will HEAR though? For so much of our education to focus on the patient, whats good for them, and how not to confuse them and promote spiritual, physical, and emotional health I would think we would know better than to think that any truly sick person would hear anything after "hello, im dr. smith... blah blah blah." Or even a nurse in a code situation would not hear anything after dr. smith. Most would just say. "Great, a doctor... fix this please." before trying to understand you introduction.

Papadoc · Sep 18, 2006

I don't see anything wrong with a DNP saying:
"Hello, I'm Dr. Smith, your nurse practitioner today. How are you doing?"
This way the patient can rest assured that they are not getting an MD, and are recieving the best care available.

I believe there are laws on the books in every State defining the use of a term "doctor" in aclinical settings. Doctor = Physician in a clinical sence.

However, Doctor (Latin) = Teacher. So this is where your doctorate truly shines...in Acedemia. Intruducing yourself to a pt as "Dr. Nurse" is confusing at best, but may also land you in some pretty deep trouble. I wonder what these programs are teaching you guys. Is you "Dr." title regulated by any laws? I think most ppl are not as sophisticated as you may think, especially when they are really sick.You're likely to be asked something like "so which one are you a doctor or a nurse?", and rightfully so. Anyway, just my humble opinion. I'm sure you know these things better than I do :rolleyes:

NurseguyFL · Sep 19, 2006

I, as an advanced practice nurse myself, would have a v. serious problem with any non-MD/DO healthcare provider who presented her/himself to me as "Dr. (whomever)" without clarifying that s/he was not a physician.

Point taken, but this is all much ado about nothing. As someone correctly pointed out earlier, there was a time not too long ago when a very similar nomenclature argument was being used by MDs to keep the DOs out. Even now, there are still some MDs who do not see DOs as their equals. But that argument is moot now.

These days healthcare is a business just like any other, and in most cases all that matters is the bottom line. The physicians know this and this is why they are fighting tooth and nail to hold on to their piece of the pie by keeping the NPs at bay. But with healthcare costs spiralling more and more out of control every year its only a matter of time before all those greedy insurance companies out there begin to see the financial advantages of utilizing more NPs as PCPs. That's when the lobbying and the fighting is really going to start, only the fight will be between the AMA and the insurance companies.