Letter to the Editor on "Doctor of Nursing Practice..."

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP): Need for More Dialogue

November 1, 2005
in response to topic The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP): Need for More Dialogue (Sept. 30, 2005)

Dear Editor:

I write in response to the Doctor of Nursing Practice topic. Simply put, I urge our profession to avoid confusing the public further with the addition of another unique designation for nurses with advanced knowledge. We can dialogue ad infinitum; but, as public servants, we must take responsibility for the effect of the confusion we inflict on the people whom we claim to serve. We cannot ask the public to sort out our professional minutiae. If we wish to have parity with other learned professions, including those with clinical components, we need to speak in the language that is common to the learned professions. It is our actions that will distinguish us, not our alphabet.

Janet S. D'Arcangelo, PhD, APRN, CS
Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Specialist
Darien, Connecticut
jdrn22@aol.com