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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Health / Why Nurses Should Not Be Called Doctor (482 Views)
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Why Nurses Should Not Be Called Doctor by lavista13: 10:20pm On Jul 19, 2014 |
Not everyone who calls themselves a doctor has an M.D. or D.O. after their name. With the ever increasing number of nurses obtaining advanced doctorate degrees, the question of whether or not a nurse can introduce themselves as “doctor” to their patients has sparked a heated debate in the healthcare industry. While patients who are treated by these nurse-doctors may be none the wiser, physicians are fighting to keep the doctor title restricted, especially since there is great power and responsibility that come with it. Due to fear of losing authority over the profession, physicians have pushed legislative measures to ban nurses from misrepresenting their license by using the doctor title. Arizona and Delaware have already adopted laws that prohibit nurses from using the term “doctor” unless they immediately follow it by their true profession. Other states, such as New York, are considering a bill that would forbid nurses from using the title of doctor altogether, regardless of their advanced degree. Nurses, on the other hand, feel that physicians should not have a monopoly over the title and that anyone who has achieved a doctorate degree should be permitted to using it. Is this legislation really warranted? Here are three reasons why physicians believe that nurses with doctorate degrees should not represent themselves as “doctor” to their patients: Confusing for patients Though it may seem like a simple issue of semantics, when an average patient seeks the consultation of a doctor in a hospital setting, they are expecting that the clinician who introduces themselves as “doctor” is in fact a medical doctor and not a nurse who has achieved a doctorate degree in nursing. Otherwise, a patient may feel resentful that they were treated by someone whom they believe to be unlicensed or under-qualified. A patient always wants the best possible care from someone whom they trust has advanced training and experience in diagnosis and treatment. Physicians possess more medical science knowledge and extensive training Though nurse practitioners are capable of handling a range of medical problems that patients present to them, nurses do not have the length or depth of education that a physician earns after formally completing medical school, internship and residency. A nurse possessing a doctorate degree can indentify that a patient has high blood pressure and prescribe medication accordingly, but a physician has the experiential knowledge needed to understand all the reasons why the patient is diagnosed with high blood pressure. Additionally, years of medical training make physicians better equipped at recognizing rare illnesses. Blurring of roles and identification between medical doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses By calling a nurse a “doctor,” it might suggest that nurses without advanced degrees are somehow not as significant or responsible to the patient’s care, when in fact the opposite is true in many cases. In trauma and critical care units for example, nurses are not only important healthcare providers, but they have had just as much training and experience, and deserve the same amount of respect as NPs (Nurse Practitioners) and DNPs (Doctors of Nursing Practice). Ultimately, the battle still continues, and physicians are encouraging nurses who want to be called “doctors” in a clinical environment to pay their dues and go to medical school. However, as the health care community continues to evolve, it is important to remember that the patient’s well- being comes first, and as healthcare professionals, doctors and nurses should stop fighting this turf- war and work as a team. Let them get this into their thick skulls. ![]() |
Re: Why Nurses Should Not Be Called Doctor by xamuel17(m): 10:51pm On Jul 19, 2014 |
When u talk finish, just adjust ur ynash well make I give u injection for ur headache |
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