Georgia law prohibits DNPs from using the term "doctor"

[klone]

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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill into law May 2 preventing nonphysicians from using specialty titles such as "doctor," in an effort to promote transparency for patients.

Senate Bill 197 was written by state Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, a certified anesthesiologist assistant. It's summary outlines an aim "to prohibit deceptive or misleading terms or false representations by healthcare practitioners in advertisements and representations" and to do the same regarding the "misappropriation of medical or medical specialty titles."

Georgia blocks nonphysicians from using specialty titles

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

beachynurse said:

I really think that this is just ridiculous. If you earn the Doctoral Degree, then you have earned the right to use the title of Dr. I think that there are significantly more important things that Florida needs to take care of rather than this. I have a friend that is a DNP, and when she meets her new patients she identifies herself as Dr. Nurse. If the parents have any questions about that she takes the time to educate them. I think this attempt at legislation needs to be abandoned. 

This isn't FL, it's GA. But they surely do have more important things to address

[beachynurse, ASN, BSN]

Hoosier_RN said:

This isn't FL, it's GA. But they surely do have more important things to address

Ooops, sorry.....

[sleepwalker, MSN, NP]

Everyone that has earned a Doctorate level degree is allowed to use the term "Doctor".

If medical doctor's have a problem with the the term they should identify themselves as physicians...since this was the original term/identification but the term "doctor" was appropriated due to ease of pt use and pronunciation 

my 2 cents...

[beachynurse, ASN, BSN]

sleepwalker said:

Everyone that has earned a Doctorate level degree is allowed to use the term "Doctor".

If medical doctor's have a problem with the the term they should identify themselves as physicians...since this was the original term/identification but the term "doctor" was appropriated due to ease of pt use and pronunciation 

my 2 cents...

I guess their ego's are getting hurt because now Nurses can be Dr's, and so many other career paths have Doctoral degrees. Get over it...... 

[EOC, MSN, RN]

Physicians have a distinction. They are called MD. Seems like education is needed in what a doctoral degree means. It is quite an accomplishment to achieve. I agree that there is a lot of confusion with say calling someone with education or psychology doctoral degree Dr. Do they tell students when and how to use their degree before they graduate? I don't what triggered this concern now

[toomuchbaloney]

EOC said:

Physicians have a distinction. They are called MD. Seems like education is needed in what a doctoral degree means. It is quite an accomplishment to achieve. I agree that there is a lot of confusion with say calling someone with education or psychology doctoral degree Dr. Do they tell students when and how to use their degree before they graduate? I don't what triggered this concern now

It's entirely possible that this is triggered by misogyny and power struggles. Diminishing the achievements of others in this way is a hint to the basis for the movement.  

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

This has been an issue in question for many years.

Here is the 2014 PEARSON REPORT. All US States address using the title Doctor by a Nurse Practitioner, specifically.

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A full summary for each state is presented, all within this one table (including the 2014 updated rank for patient access; whether a doctorate NP may be addressed as "Doctor" ...

Examples (bear in mind this information was published 9 years ago):

Georgia

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Statutory restriction against NP with doctorate being addressed as "Dr.”? This is an issue of current controversy. The BON interprets the statute as having no prohibition on nurses using their terminal degree (under GA. CODE ANN.§ 10-1-422 [2005], any individual who "uses the term 'Doctor' or 'Dr.’ in conjunction with his name in any letter, business card, advertisement, sign, public listing, display, or circular of any nature shall designate the degree to which he is entitled by reason of his diploma of graduation from a school or other entity, professional or otherwise or the degree as honorary when an honorary acknowledgment has been made; any person willfully violating, with intent to defraud, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.”) However, the BOM has stated a position that it is unlawful for nurses to use their terminal degree title in clinical situations, although it is acceptable in nonclinical settings. Clarification has been requested from both boards.

California

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Statutory restriction against NP with doctorate being addressed as "Dr.”? No. Except that under CA Bus & Prof Code § 2278, the use of such title, letters, or prefix without further indicating the type of certificate held constitutes unprofessional conduct.

Florida

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Statutory restriction against NP with doctorate being addressed as "Dr.”? No. But new law specifies that all healthcare licensees must provide notice to patients of what type of license they have, with name tag and advertising requirements. A bill requiring NPs with a doctorate to inform patients that they are not medical doctors before using the title "Doctor" in a clinical setting died in committee in 2013 (the FL Medical Association is expected to refile the bill in 2014).

 

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

Nurses With a Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) Should Not Call Themselves "Doctor" in a Clinical Setting-Gary Gaddis, MD,PhD: National Center for Biotechnology Information/National Library of Medicine

This is an article that was published in the Journal of the Missouri State Medical Association. It's a peer-reviewed journal, mostly likely solely by physicians. It points out two occasions where patients of this ED doctor had been under the care of APRNs apparently portraying themselves as doctors, where the patients had been poorly managed in their care. The article points out that APRN education is inadequate by comparison with physicians, if they are doing the same role. 

I think it's a bit ridiculous that a scientific paper was published based on the anecdotal experiences of one physician related to TWO patients he has seen. How many hundreds of other patients were cared for by DNPs and didn't have a bad outcome?! 

I know that when I was in school I was told that in CT, APRNs with a DNP could not refer to themselves as doctor in a clinical setting because patients can't tell the difference between a doctor and a physician. I work with three DNPs and none of them have Dr in any titles displayed anywhere at work that I can think of.

I think it's unfortunate that anyone that put forth the effort into earning a degree cannot be afforded the recognition that they have earned. 

[Emergent, RN]

FYI, medical doctors can be MDs or DOs...

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

There's a DNP here that calls herself Dr. when introducing herself "I'm Dr. P.  how are you today?".  She doesn't say "I'm Dr. P, the NP for Dr. So & So" which I think she should do.  Her name tag does identify her as a DNP though.  So I'm a little torn, because patients are going to think she's an MD when she isn't.   

Most of the other DNPs just introduce themselves by first name and say they are the NP.

 

[klone, MSN, RN]

Emergent said:

FYI, medical doctors can be MDs or DOs...

If you want to get technical, DOs are not medical doctors (that's what MD stands for); they're osteopathic doctors. 

[chare]

I haven't been able to find a copy of the bill, as signed by Mr. Kemp.  However, did find this and it seems that NPs, PAs, and other non-physician health care providers can still use the title but have to clarify that they aren't physicians.

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The new law will prohibit "deceptive or misleading terms or false representations of the provider's profession, skills, training, expertise, degree, board certification, licensure or medical field," such as "nurse anesthesiologist," according to the news release.

The law will also require advertisements to include the practitioner's name and disclose only the type of license under which the practitioner is authorized to provide services. It will also require advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants with doctorate degrees to clearly state they're not medical doctors or physicians.

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Georgia governor signs bill prohibiting medical title misappropriation into law