This is from the Online DNP Community. While I personally do not define myself by a title and believe it is important to explain who you are and what your role is when you use one, I believe anyone who has achieved a doctorate has the right to refer to themselves as a doctor in whatever setting they choose. Please support this action - id this passes it can be used as precedent the profession needs to avoid!
Hello everyone,
I received a message from a colleague in Missouri, JoAnn Franklin, DNP, APRN, notifying us of some legislative plans that could transfer disciplinary authority over Nurse Practitioners, now regulated by the Board of Nursing, to the Board of Healing Arts - a physician run entity. This is her recommendation:
334.092 needs to be completely removed because currently the judicial court system takes care of this issue and state boards should only discipline their licensees. We do not believe the Board of Healing Arts can be the disciplinary for other professions. Additionally the burden of proof is much less in an administrative hearing than it is in the judicial court system.
There's also a section of Senate Bill No 303 (Section 334.250 number 3) that would criminalize the use of the title Doctor. Here's the essence of that section:
334.250 number 3. Any person who uses the title "Doctor", "Dr.", "M.D.", or "D.O." within a hospital as defined by section 197.020, or within an ambulatory surgical center as defined by section 197.200, and is not now or has not been a registered physician within the meaning of the law or is not now or has not been licensed as a physician in another state or territory shall be guilty of a class D felony.
Here's a potential letter that we encourage you to send to the senators listed and linked below:
Senate Bill No. 303; 334.092 and 334.250 number 3
My colleagues in Missouri have notified me and other advanced practice nurses that have earned a practice doctorate degree of some of the language in the senate bill that is due to be voted out of your Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee.
Please know that any language that criminalizes someone from using the title "doctor" is unnecessary and inflammatory.
To make using the title a criminal offense negates the efforts and successes of an entire class of professionals. Missouri would be setting a dangerous precedent that could negatively impact the provision of health care services in the state. Health care providers that have earned a doctorate degree follow the policies of specific organizations such as hospitals to obtain privileges. The policy of the organization is more than enough to avoid any potential patient confusion due to a title. Trying to criminalize the use of a title is draconian without any evidence to show that harm has been done, or is likely to be realized on any patient or patient care organization.
The motivation is not about safety.
Please reconsider removing this section of the bill. Similarly, section 334.092 places disciplinary power with one profession over another. This is contrary to our tenets of democracy and definition of professionalism.
Others outside of Missouri are watching and hoping that the citizens in your great state will not be stifled by unnecessary and ill conceived bills that have little value and a great potential to harm health care professionals and their patients.
Thank you for reading my note and allowing me to share my concerns.
Kindest regards,
The following Senators are in the Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee
- Kevin Engler, 3rd, Chairman
- Jay Wasson, 20th, Vice-Chairman
- Jane Cunningham, 7th
- Will Kraus, 8th
- David Pearce, 31st
- Luann Ridgeway, 17th
- Bill Stouffer, 21st
- Jolie Justus, 10th
- Robin Wright-Jones, 5th
Thank you for your considerations and request to help our colleagues in Missouri.
Best wishes to all,
David O'Dell
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