3 Rajasthan nurses with PhDs cannot use 'Dr' before their names

“The department has denied permission to nurses, who have done PhD, to use ‘Dr’ title. We will go to higher authorities in the government. Those with PhD want to use the ‘Dr’ title in their name. For this, changes in documents are required and to follow that procedure, permission of the government is necessary which has been denied,” Shekhawat said.     

“Allowing those with PhD to use ‘Dr’ title will only encourage the nurses to go for research and higher studies, which will benefit the patients,” he added.     

While the reason or ground to not allow the nurses to use the title is not mentioned in the letter, an official of the health department said that granting permission for this will create confusion among the people, who will not be able to differentiate a medical doctor or PhD holder nurse.  

As per a media report in TOI, Jogendra Sharma, principal of govt college of nursing in Jaipur, said," Nurses are using 'Dr' as a title after completing PhD in nursing, but in govt sector, it is not easy. It is like changing the entire name for which a process is followed, and it is changed only through gazette norms.