Deck 9: The Doctor Nurse: Overcoming Title Issues

Question 1

All of the following are tips for graduates of DNP programs on using the title doctor, EXCEPT ________:

A) Be proactive if confronted by negative positions about using the term.
B) Be involved in educating others about the rationales for using the term.
C) Be defensive whenever you speak or write to others about using the term.
D) Become involved with other professionals who also use the term.

Answer 1

C
Explanation: There are many tips for DNP graduates to help promote the use of the term doctor to acknowledge their credentials; becoming defensive is not one of them, but the others are.

Question 2

The American Medical Association (AMA) created Resolution 211 (A-06), which was called "Need to Expose and Counter Nurse Doctoral Programs Misrepresentation," in May 2006. The purpose of the resolution was to ________.

A) engage hospital administrators as associates who will report nurses using doctor
B) require that DNP programs be re-named to not have the word 'doctorate' in them
C) prosecute nurses who identify themselves as doctors with felony convictions
D) restrict and possibly prosecute nurses (and others) who identify themselves as doctors

Answer 2

D
Explanation: The main purpose of the Resolution was to restrict and perhaps prosecute (as felonious) nurses and other healthcare professionals who use the title doctor.

Question 3

Dr. Linda Pearson annually publishes a national report on nurse practitioner legislation and related healthcare issues. In her 2014 report, Pearson identified ________ states that have laws restricting the use of the title doctor by nurses who have earned doctorates.

A) five
B) eight
C) ten
D) four

Answer 3

A
Explanation: While five states do have restrictive laws, there are also 21 states identified in Pearson's 2014 report that are not restrictive as long as nurses also specify that they are also nurses.

Question 4

In responding to the AMA's Resolution 211, nursing did a variety of things that includes all of the following, EXCEPT ________?

A) major nursing organizations published the DNP Talking Points
B) the ANA mailed a letter to Congress about antitrust issues
C) several nursing organizations published a unified statement
D) the ANA drafted and mailed a letter to the AMA

Question 5

Several nursing organizations combined forces and drafted a report entitled Nurse Practitioner DNP Education, Certification and Titling: A Unified Statement. This statement contained four major recommendations regarding the use of the title doctor by nurse practitioners. Which of the following is NOT one of those statements?

A) By recognizing the title doctor for DNP graduates, parity is facilitated.
B) Other professionals also use doctor, so the term is not limited to medical doctors.
C) The title 'Medical Doctor' is a protected title; the use of doctor is not protected.
D) Increased complexity in healthcare requires nurses to become more educated.

Question 6

In which two states, as of publication of the Chism text, are there laws restricting the use of the title doctor unless immediately stating one's professional designation?

A) California and Delaware
B) Arizona and Florida
C) Arizona and Delaware
D) California and Florida

Question 7

Dr. O was confronted with a legal letter informing her that she could be violating a law by using the term doctor and could potentially be convicted of a misdemeanor. What happened after she received the letter?

A) Dr. O had the dean from her DNP program call the prosecuting attorney's office.
B) Dr. O had her supervisor call the prosecuting attorney's office.
C) Dr. O had her administrators write a letter in response.
D) The prosecuting attorney's office decided not to take action.

Question 8

The DNP Talking Points is a document that provides DNP graduates with rationales for the degree and was created to provide facts for many healthcare professionals about the value of the DNP degree. Of the eight talking points noted in Chism, prioritize those that you find most compelling for your likely audiences, and then defend your priorities.
Responses should be one to two paragraphs in length.
Tips: You might find it helpful to first list all of the eight talking points so that you can then arrange them in the priority you would find most valuable. Identify your likely audiences and match the prioritized compelling talking points to each and defend your priorities.

Question 9

Dr. Opsahl conveyed her perspective about how DNP graduates and other healthcare professionals ought to address the issue of the use of the title doctor for DNP graduates. Critique her perspective; do you agree or disagree with it? What do you think you will or might do differently to address the issue of using the title doctor after you graduate?
Responses should be one to two paragraphs in length.
Tips: Dr. Opsahl believes that tiptoeing around the topic is a mistake. She believes that - among several things - nurses should become involved in legislation and other methods of addressing the issue. Critique her perspective by first outlining her perspective and then discuss what you agree and disagree with, as well as what you might do differently.

Question 10

Given the many suggestions for helping DNP graduates to be able to use the title doctor to acknowledge their degree, rank those suggestions that you think you would most likely use after you graduate, and then support your rankings. Responses should be one to two paragraphs in length.
Tips: You will likely feel comfortable with some of the tips, but not others. You should rank the tips after identifying them. Afterwards, discuss/support your rankings; why did you rank the tips as you did?