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Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,781
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Fed up of people giving themselves titles they have no right to

My initials are D. R. -- so people mistakenly call me "doctor".    If it really matters, I will clarify..........otherwise I don't bother explaining it to a total stranger.

♥Surface of the Sun♥
Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,929
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Fed up of people giving themselves titles they have no right to

When I was working our name tags had very large print and clearly showed what everyone's status was. For instance STAFF NURSE or NURSE AIDE in large capitol letters. We were also required to wear our badges in the area of the body between our nipple line and our chin so they were clearly visible. What ever credentials you had earned were also on there but not everyone understands what all those initials after your name means. For instance mine said my name and RN, BSN, CCRN,But past RN I doubt patients really understand what the rest are. However, everyone gets STAFF NURSE means a nurse. My hospital tried very hard to make this clear and easily understandable, and it made the name tags quite large.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,415
Registered: ‎11-25-2011

Re: Fed up of people giving themselves titles they have no right to

[ Edited ]
Someone unthread (unable to quote-iPad) was commenting about an artist called Dr.

How about bluesy Dr. John.....or Dr. Hook of 'On the Cover of The Rolling Stone' fame?

Don't forget about the beloved Dr. Seuss, who wasn't a doctor of anything...just a Dr. of many, many childhood memories!
Super Contributor
Posts: 325
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Fed up of people giving themselves titles they have no right to

I totally agree.

I know the discussion is on nursing, but it happens really often in education. I am a teacher with a Master's Degree and hours 1/2 way to a PHD. There are many people who work in schools who are not educated or qualified but say they are teachers. I resent this because there is a hierachy, and it should be noted, whether it's nursing or teaching.

 

tea

Regular Contributor
Posts: 252
Registered: ‎09-06-2011

Re: Fed up of people giving themselves titles they have no right to

I once had to take issue with a chiropractor who would often post on Facebook or state on a web-based radio show, starting with the sentence, "As a doctor, ....." While chiropractors can call themselves "doctors", I found that misleading for those who did not realize she was not an MD. She was a bit miffed when I stopped her and made clear she is a "chiropractor" rather than medical doctor. Smiley Wink

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,153
Registered: ‎05-22-2012

Re: Fed up of people giving themselves titles they have no right to


@Nicecupoftea wrote:
I heard today that someone I know, who went to a nurses aide course for two weeks, is now telling people she has a nursing degree! This annoys me since I worked long and hard for that right. Small 'colleges' are giving out all kinds of 'degrees' for short courses. Are real nurses going to be a thing of the past?

 

She might have a certificate of some kind, but she probably does not have an actual nursing degree and just misspoke (or doesn't realize the difference.) When she goes to get a job, I'm sure that difference will become apparent to her pretty quickly.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,602
Registered: ‎03-21-2010

Re: Fed up of people giving themselves titles they have no right to

My daughter is a certified medical assistant...she is working on her nursing degree...sort of hard when you have an 8 month old LOL....anyway...she works in a very busy OB/GYN's office, and almost every day she is referred to as a nurse. She corrects people all the time.

 

I think people assume that when you are wearing scrubs, just like an RN, that you are automatically a nurse. IMHO I think nurses should go back to wearing the white nursing uniforms or white scrubs with the cap. It would show patients/people who the nurses really are in an office or hospital situation.

 

 

Super Contributor
Posts: 482
Registered: ‎04-20-2010

Re: Fed up of people giving themselves titles they have no right to

 

I know someone who says he is "a doctor" -  true, he does have a doctorate, but it is in education...not putting down the tie ad effort it takes to get that PhD, but

 

it seems pretentious to me when he refers to himself as "a doctor"  or says "Well I a am  doctor"...as I think people assume that means MD.  A totally different thing....

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,889
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Fed up of people giving themselves titles they have no right to

My husband is a retired professor at a well-known northeastern university. During several summers, his department held one-month certificate programs for working professionals. My husband later discovered that some of the international students who participated in the certificate program were lying on their résumés, claiming that they had bachelors degrees in the program. It's a shame that there are so many liars in our society.
Valued Contributor
Posts: 868
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Fed up of people giving themselves titles they have no right to

My dear late husband held a Ph.D in education.  While everyone called him 'Doc,' he only used his title professionally. When he signed his name on documents, he signed 'John Doe, Ph.D.'  In his capacity as principal and Superintendent of Schools, he was addressed as 'Dr. Doe.'  He never tried to deceive anyone into thinking he was a medical doctor.  He was such a good man who I miss with my broken heart.  docsgirl