Georgia law prohibits DNPs from using the term "doctor"

Nurses General Nursing

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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

subee said:

I spent 14 years in college ending in a MSN from an Ivy League school because I wanted the best instruction money could buy.  Just because I propose a title for the DNP clinical practitioner that reflect both nurse AND doctor, you interpret this to mean I'm against advanced education?  What's the logic behind that?  You can see that I was a CRNA.  How could I have invested so much in that and be anti education?

When I mentioned advanced education, I meant a doctorate, specifically. Your post came across as being very "catty" towards people who obtain doctorates.

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
DrNurseEd said:

When I mentioned advanced education, I meant a doctorate, specifically. Your post came across as being very "catty" towards people who obtain doctorates.

That would be wrong.  The topic here is nurses using the term doctor.  I'm merely proposing that we have a title that includes both "nurse" AND "doctor" or doctorate in clinical settings.  

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subee said:

Who is saying that getting a Doctorate is necessary for anyone?  Obviously you to need one to be a Professor of anything.  For a professor to be called "Doctor" in an academic setting is quite separate from using the title in a patient care situation.  Back in the dark ages, we actually called professors "Professor" because that's what they wanted.  They didn't need to have their ego stroked because everyone who taught at their level had a PhD.

Since nurse educators who have doctorate also teach clinicals at hospitals, should their students refer to them with one title while in school and another at the hospital? This is getting ridiculous.

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
feelix said:

Since nurse educators who have doctorate also teach clinicals at hospitals, should their students refer to them with one title while in school and another at the hospital? This is getting ridiculous.

Students understand who their professor is.  There is only one in a class.  But patients are subject to being pokes and prodded by a multitide of initials and I think if we want to remain as the most respected profession, we need to be meticulous making it clear to patients that we are nurses.  I am not ashamed to be a nurse in any sense and would never identify myself as "doctor" which is going to happen when people get rabid about their initials behind their names.  

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Tweety said:

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.


 

I think this is exactly why this law was passed.  We have a NP in my town who introduces himself as "Dr. Dan" or "Dr. Jones" To patients who are not familiar with the concept of a DNP or PhD in nursing, they assume he is a physician.  Especially since he doesn't bother following that introduction up with the statement "I'm a nurse practitioner".  It's very misleading.  I'm a full supporter of the NP role, but patients have a right to know if they're dealing with a NP or physician.  We'd be upset if a CNA introduced herself as a nurse and rightfully so.  While this is theoretically different, in reality it's the same since most patients associate the term "doctor" with a physician.  And in other settings where the title is used by DNPs or PhDs (such as a college campus), there is little room for confusion.  No one is expecting a physician to teach their college algebra class.  But in healthcare it's confusing.  Although sadly we wouldn't be having this debate if everyone would just be transparent about their role. 

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Specializes in RN, BSN, MA, CLNC, HC/LC.
Rose_Queen said:

So are they also going to apply this to other, non healthcare doctorates or are they picking and choosing?

Hmmm, waiting for Doctor Biden to lead the way. Won't hold my breath.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
SunCityInsPhysical said:

Hmmm, waiting for Doctor Biden to lead the way. Won't hold my breath.

In what way should Dr Biden lead the way? 

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Specializes in Critical Care.
SunCityInsPhysical said:

Hmmm, waiting for Doctor Biden to lead the way. Won't hold my breath.

The award for dumbest off-topic political-for-no-reason comment goes to...

?

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Specializes in Public Health, TB.

I was seen at a local physical therapy office last year. This group emphasizes that all their PTs are doctors in advertisements. The receptionist always referred to the PT as "Dr. Jones", even though the therapist insisted I call her by her first name. This like a marketing ploy. And to top it off, Dr. Jones misdiagnosed me, and put me through 10 weeks of daily, unnecessary therapy, leaving me in just as much pain as I started with. She hinted that I did not carry out her prescribed exercises correctly. Sure, doc, sure. 

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
nursej22 said:

I was seen at a local physical therapy office last year. This group emphasizes that all their PTs are doctors in advertisements. The receptionist always referred to the PT as "Dr. Jones", even though the therapist insisted I call her by her first name. This like a marketing ploy. And to top it off, Dr. Jones misdiagnosed me, and put me through 10 weeks of daily, unnecessary therapy, leaving me in just as much pain as I started with. She hinted that I did not carry out her prescribed exercises correctly. Sure, doc, sure. 

It's just status manipulation.  When everyone needs to get a practice doctorate, they just dumb it down so that they can charge more tuition to more people.  I could understand if someone wanted to take a specialty such as pain management and spend a year doing that, but just to make it more difficult and more expensive to do the same job you did before isn't in anyone's best interest.  I had PT two summers ago and they really didn't do anything I could have done myself.  I have one exercise that I still do to this day (cause I can do it in bed:) but I was horrified that Medicare was being charged for something a good, strong masseuse could have done ....and a lot cheaper!  It's just another "industry" now.

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This law is oppressive. DNP's have earned their doctorate. We do not identify ourselves as physicians or seek to be one. We practice in our scope and identify ourselves as Nurse Practitioners...whether we identify ourselves as having a doctorate or not should be our personal decison.  Patients and their families are intelligent, they grasp the difference between DNP and MD.  Are you now seeking to do this to PhDs as well, since they also can work in a medical environment.  Ridiculous.

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NP's have nowhere near the skill or training of a board certified physician.  Your little online programs and "clinical hours" which I've observed many times over the years is just the NP student shadowing.  That's it.  Not doing anything but observing.  I won't see a NP.  I'll see a PA, depending on the circumstances.  Otherwise I only see MD/DO's.

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