I work in a rural area where there are limited numbers of health care providers. I often eat at a local restaurant and have heard people refer to a nurse practitioner as "Dr. So and So." I have never seen this person correct anyone when they do that.

This is something that really burns my toast! I ALWAYS identify myself as a nurse practitioner and tell my patients to NEVER refer to me as Dr.

I do not have the MD degree and do not intend to pursue a doctorate in nursing any time soon. If I change my mind, I will let my patients call me Dr. but will remind them that I am still a nurse practitioner. There is much ado about the potential confusion with patients referencing us as Dr. in the medical side of the field. In my office, there is no confusion.

NPs should never pretend to be a MD. We are not and never will be unless we go back to medical school and obtain it. I have no intention of starting over and going through 8 years of college in order to do what I already can now as a FNP. I can diagnose, treat, and interpret tests just fine without it.

Please don't refer to NPs as Dr.

Thanks!

 

I was reading a blogpost regarding the Doctor of Nursing Practice and wondered if it was truly worth the time and cost of going back to school for three more years. I don't feel the need to add another three years worth of classes to my already burgeoning loan debt after 7 years of school at 83,000 dollars (you read right!).  I would have more schooling than a general MD with 8 years of schooling (DrNP title after 10 years), but will it bring me more money in my current position? I highly doubt it. Will it bring me more respect? I think that the way that I treat my patients and my treatment outcomes already speak for themselves. WIll the new title of Dr. NP cause my patients role confusion? Not in my practice. I already continuously remind them that I am not a MD and don't pretend to be one. Pretty darn close though! There are others in our profession that do not correct patients when they refer to us as Dr. So and So. This is a real pet peeve of mine!

I also have to disagree about the DNP being a new hybrid. Nurse Practitioners with Master's Degrees already work by blending the nursing and medical models together. That's the only way to practice as a NP because we are diagnosing and treating medical conditions. We don't just go by nursing theory contrary to beliefs, or at least I don't.

I have to admit that I was gungho about the new concept and planned to pursue the "end degree" but think that I will reserve judgment until I see the true benefits. I can already teach RN students with a Master's degree so unless I decide to teach BSN or Master's then I would go back. But then, the practice Doctorate isn't really about teaching. It's about furthering our knowledge base and practice experience. I can also do that by going to conferences, doing CMEs and reading the most current practice research. All mostly for free!

Any DrNPs out there who can tell me if it is worth the time and effort currently. Why do you think so or not? Leave me a comment on the comment blog or the guestbook.