NP's, do you like the term provider?

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  1. Which do you prefer?

    • 6
      Call everyone by name, even if its takes longer.
    • 20
      Provider
    • 4
      Medical practitioner
    • 1
      Mid-level
    • 1
      Other

32 members have participated

I am wondering if the term "provider" is acceptable for NP's. I know it is ideal for PA's, NP's, and Physicians to be referred to by their title, but what is the best way to refer to them as a group? I struggle with this at work as I take emergency medical calls and don't always know if I will be connecting the patient with a physician, NP, or PA. I have met several doctors who cringe when they hear the word provider. I have also met some NP's who don't like to be clumped in with PA's for whatever reason.

My personal pet-peeve is the word mid-level! No PA or NP is a mid-level unless you consider the sharp critical care RN's who's observation and suggestions have saved many doctors from inadvertently killing a patient a low-level provider.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Any of those suggestions are better than physician extender which sounds nasty!

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On my list of 10 things I worry about, this is around 14 or so........

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but I will rise to the bait! I suppose provider works in the ED/UC, it's also easier on staff to just say .....the provider will be in... Rather than worry about if it a PA, NP or MD, and I must recognize my lonely eye with the DNP's who introduce themselfs as DR. In the clinical setting, I have not yet made a firm internal decision on that one.

in the academic/inpatient setting my chief is a Professor of Surgery and great sort, very easy to work with. My patients know she is a doc, that I am a NP, and we are all spokes on the wheel. It's about the patient, and not what I am called though I am known by my first name and that I am a NP. That is what I like and the patients seem to like it as well which is what it's about!

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I agree with Allen. I answer to a lot of different titles and I don't lose a lot of sleep over it.

I always introduce myself as "Scott and I am a nurse practitioner who works with Dr.----" From that point on I go by Scott.

People in the practice often refer to me as Dr -----'s nurse practitioner which doesn't bother me but it drives my doc nuts because he thinks it makes it sound like he owns me.

I don't refer to anyone as Dr. unless it is a physician or in their professional area (e.g.. A PhD in the classroom)

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My work calls all of the NPs, DOs, and MDs "providers" when speaking about us as a group. I don't have a problem with it

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