Use of Titles and Credentials in the Clinical Setting
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) supports the use of the title doctor in conjunction with licensure title for doctorally prepared nurses and other health care providers in the clinical setting. AANP believes patients have the right to know who is providing their care, which includes the academic preparation of those individuals.
AANP opposes legislation and regulations that would prohibit nurses and other health care professionals from clearly representing their credentials to patients and the public.
AANP believes laws and regulations regarding the use of titles and credentials need to preserve a patient’s right to identify who is providing their care. Laws and regulations must reject anticompetitive and punitive measures that unnecessarily prohibit nurses and other health professionals from accurately communicating their education, licensure and certifications to patients and the public.
© American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Board of Directors, 2022