Curious...using the title "Doctor" for a DNP...

Specialties Doctoral

Published

For a friendly debate topic.....

I remembered reading an old post awhile ago where an NP (who got her DNP) was told by Human Resources that she couldn't use the title "Doctor" at the hospital, because it would mislead the patients.

I am wondering if anyone has seen or heard anything similar where they work (you personally or someone else).

If hospitals are "all about introductions", I see nothing wrong with telling a patient, "Hi, I'm Dr. Smith, I'm a Nurse Practioner"...I see no difference between that and saying, "Hi, I'm Dr. Jones and I'm your Cardiologist".

To me, that would be a HUGE slap in the fact to someone who has worked hard for that degree, because they are entitled to use that title.

What ya'll think?

Specializes in Emergency, Cardiac, PAT/SPU, Urgent Care.
NPs NEED more patho, pharm, anatomy, etc, not more nursing theory, leadership, or capstone projects.

Let me start off by saying that I am not a huge supporter of the whole DNP movement, because I believe us MSN-NPs are doing just fine, but I must ask you this - how much more patho, pharm and anatomy would finally convince you that we have had enough to suit your standards? We have taken all three of them both at the undergrad and graduate level - honestly, how much more do we need? Not only did I have those courses separately at both degree levels, but I also had them incorporated into each of my peds, gyn, ob, adult, and geriatrics primary care courses; so essentially I have taken them several times. I really just don't get the argument of why we need more of these "hard" sciences, and have yet to find someone who could explain that to me.

I am now convinced, PICUPNP, wowza and dgenthist are one in the same (?medical student). Not split personality mind you, as he gives himself kudos for his other posts. He also has a dictionary at his side to make sure we midlevels all know what a great vocabulary all three of them can use. Maybe we, the lowly "midlevel NP" can help out and dx his disorder?

I am a graduating med student in virginia and I am not PICUPNP nor am I dgenthist. I think PICU is in texas. No idea where dgenthist is. Frankly it doesnt matter to me whether you believe me.

Since you didn't mention it in this post, do you agree that a PA with a certificate from a community college has less formal education as a RN with a BSN?

I was under the impression that PAs degrees were masters degrees. If that is not the case, then a PA with a community college education does seem to have less formal education than the BSN. Of course the places that I found required a bachelors and offered a masters degree despite being at a community college. So it seems that a PA with a masters degree from that community college does have more formal education than a BSN. I am not sure what you point it, regardless. The PA still functions between the nurse and the doctor and thus is a midlevel.

http://www.tri-c.edu/programs/physicianassistant/Documents/PA%20Program%20Information%20Packet%202009b.pdf

I'm willing to bet money that you're in medical school and it just KILLS you to think that you're going to have to compete with a DNP when you get out. It must really upset you that patients may actually prefer the DNP over YOU, the BIG IMPORTANT DOCTOR WITH MD AFTER THEIR NAME! Get over it, because health care is changing and nurse practitioners are going to play a bigger role than ever before! So, you might want to stay OUT of primary care, our arena, and go into a specialty!

Haha. It is perceptive of you to pick up that I am in medical school (almost done). However i will never have to compete with DNPs. Not only am I am going into a field that is not done by nurse practitioners but I am likely going to a program that let's just say will put me in a very competitive position. Furthermore, doctors are not really "competing" with DNPs. There are plenty of jobs to go around and were they not, who do you think would be hard pressed to find a job? I hear that the new NPs are having to take RN jobs because they cannot find jobs... That doesn't happen to doctors. Thank you for your concern though.

You have never met me, so you have no idea how my rapport is with my patients. Interacting with patients is easy provide you aren't socially inept. At least where I am now, they tend to love me- especially the old ladies. Really all you have to do is take a little time to explain things and your patients will love you. I will agree that is one things some doctors just don't do. Med schools nowadays are putting much more emphasis on that so I imagine the new grads may seem different than the older group of attendings.

I will agree that much of primary care an NP can do, and do well. You are right, you do not need 8 years of training to treat an ear infection. There is a good amount of primary care though, that an NP does not have the training for.

If you want to post any study you think is solid, I will go ahead and tear it down for you. I will show how the biases and the method flaws are so severe that it is a completely invalid study.

That suggest bias in evaluating research..don't you think?

I am now convinced, PICUPNP, wowza and dgenthist are one in the same (?medical student). Not split personality mind you, as he gives himself kudos for his other posts. He also has a dictionary at his side to make sure we midlevels all know what a great vocabulary all three of them can use. Maybe we, the lowly "midlevel NP" can help out and dx his disorder?

You mean like you, ANPFNPGNP, and efy2178 give kudos to each other's posts? And how you back each other up on every statement you make, no matter how irrelevant it is to the current topic (ie. sexism and lipstick)? Does that mean you three are the same person as well? According to your own logic, it does.

Haha, and we're using dictionaries to look up big words to impress you with our vocabulary? I think the biggest word I've used in my posts was 'experience.' Did you really need to look it up? I hope not.

I can't remember, but I believe there's a term for when you can't come up with a proper counterargument and thus, resort to attacking the other person's character. Hmm, maybe you can think of it? You can continue to personally attack everyone who disagrees with you or you can provide a logical counterargument. It's up to you.

That suggest bias in evaluating research..don't you think?

That would be true if the flaws were pretty minor. However, the flaws in the current studies are pretty significant. For example, one study measured a meaningless value (diastolic BP if I remember correctly) only at the end of the study (nothing at the beginning even) and made conclusions based on that measurement. You're right, that's a completely valid study. Another one I remember made conclusions about the quality of care provided based on patient satisfaction surveys. I hope you realize that patient satisfaction is not a valid measurement of competence; patients will love the clueless provider who talks to them nicely and treats them as the world's greatest treasure while curtness from even the most competent provider will likely cause the patient to dislike them.

I suggest you read the studies yourself and try to be as objective as possible. Just because they show NPs/DNPs in a good light doesn't mean you can disregard the design of the study and blindly accept it as the truth.

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Closing this thread as it's gone past productive discussion about the title "Doctor" for the DNP prepared NP.

I just don't understand why we, as collective professionals, cannot have a civil discussion w/o personalizing things thus leading to generalizations, attacks, and out-right rudeness??

We are all professionals.

If this thread is reopened, please let's conduct ourselves as professionals, provide helpful replies, and steer free of inflammatory posts.

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