The Florida Nurse Practitioner Network has been notified by our lobbyist, Allison Carvajal, that HB 583 (Title Bill)  sponsored by Representative Massulo and its companion bill-SB230 sponsored by Senator Gayle Harrell has been set to move through the Senate for a vote next week. This bill is an outright attack on our APRN profession and will prevent us from using the “Doctor” title, which we worked hard to earn.

It is important that we reach out the members of the Health Policy committee and the Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee to make them aware that APRNs advance their education to the Doctoral level not for the “Doctor” title but to strengthen healthcare delivery and practice so we can provide the highest level of care in a changing and complex healthcare environment to improve patient outcomes. We also need to make them aware that the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties has committed to moving all entry level nurse practitioner education to the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree by 2025 as we have a more complex healthcare delivery system requiring more rigorous education to meet the patients needs.This is not any different than others with practice doctorates, like physicians, pharmacists, psychologists, etc. 

By targeting APRNs and not other professions with doctorates, it is falsely expressing that we do not understand our legal responsibilities as healthcare providers, which is not true. Whether an APRN is autonomous or not has no bearing on our responsibility to be transparent with our patients and let them know who is providing their care. Physicians have as much of a responsibility to be transparent. This bill also does not allow for transparency in alignment with our national board certification if we are not able to use our designated credentials, such as FNP, ACAGNP, PMHNP, etc. Instead they want us to use titles that will be confusing to other healthcare providers and the public who are used to our titles as APRN, FNP, PMHNP, etc. This completely defeats the purpose of transparency this bill requires. In fact, it actually is not being honest with the patient if we can not share our true credentials. It  will also be confusing to all entities we do business with as a healthcare provider such as pharmacists, diagnostic centers, and even insurance companies.

Currently, in HB607, there is no discussion that autonomous APRNs would have a title change yet HB583 and SB230 want to change the title to A.-APRN and if we use the doctoral degree while in practice, then it would need to be D-A.-APRN. This is confusing for healthcare providers and for patients. They will not understand what the D actually means. 

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners does not endorse the title bill and instead supports APRNs using the title “Doctor” with transparency. You can view the

AANP Position Statement below:

https://storage.aanp.org/www/documents/advocacy/position-papers/Use-of-Titles-and-Credentials.pdf

We need you to contact all of the Senators on the Health Policy Committee and the Representatives on the  Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee and explain why this bill is not good for our profession and the public. All of the above highlights should be discussed in your letter or your actual telephone conversation. Encourage them to VOTE NO on this bill. 

We also encourage you to share this letter outside of FNPN so we can reach as many APRNs in the state so we have a loud voice on this issue. 

LOUD VOICES IN MASSES CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Call your Senator and Representative now because a phone call could be better than a letter. 

We need to let them know there is already a law regarding this so just enforce that law !! See Below:

Current law requires health care practitioners to inform patients about their credentials. Violations for misleading or deceptive statements, or offering to practice beyond one’s scope of practice, include professional licensure sanctions, suspension, restrictions, and probation. Violators may be subject to administrative fines and be forced to undergo “remedial education.” (Fla. Stat. 456.072 (2006)). 

Vicky Stone-Gale, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP, FNAP

1st VP of Legislation, Florida Nurse Practitioner Network 

President, South Florida Council of Advanced Practice Nurses 

vsgalearnp@comcast.net