What is the appropriate way to address a Nurse Practitioner?

[Nurse Ratched]

Assuming you don't know him or her on a first name basis?

[joenp]

Ratched, thank you for asking. I am often mistaken for an MD, because I am a guy and wear a lab coat. I am quick to tell my patients that I am a Nurse Practitioner. Their usual response is: "It does not matter, you are my doctor anyways." I am usually too short on time to explain the differences, but I think that if my patients knew what we as nurses are capable of, their opinion of nursing would only improve. I ask all people to call me by my first name, beacuse that is the name that my parents gave me. If I had an MD or PhD, I would still be Joe. I do not need to be called Mr. NP or Mr. Joe, just Joe. There are some of us that need that extra reinforcement from others and we therefore insist to be called by our professional titles, i.e. many of us know them (MD's, ooooopppsss!!! it slipped out!). Remembering that our patients are our customers, we must always address them in a respectful manner and wait for them to allow us to call them by whatever way they want to be addressed. Really, to be honest with you, MD's are also our customer and we should address them respectfully. When I introduce myself to people, I often say my whole name and then say, please call me Joe. Then ask them how they would like to be addressed. You would be surprised how many MD's then feel comfortable enough to ask you to call them by their first name. I am secure in who I am and what I do. (I think I just put in more than two cents worth). joenp

[NancyRN]

If they call me by my first name I call them by their first name. Which means everyone. I have noticed that the nurses seem to call the female docs by first name and male docs Dr.