To think the hospital were wrong not to use this lady's correct title?

[PumpkinPie2016]

A friend of my husband has recently had a short stay in hospital (a few days). This last is well into her 80's now but worked her whole life as a doctor. She was the first female GP in our area and has an MBE and, as you can imagine, she worked incredibly hard for her qualification and during her career. As a result, she of course has the title Dr.

When my husband visited her in hospital, he noticed that her name on the board was down as Mrs X rather than Dr X. My husband pointed out to the nurse that Dr X had never married and so her title wasn't Mrs but Dr (he was very polite about it!). The nurse was adamant she would change it to Miss but not Dr and no matter what DH or the last herself said, the nurse would only change it to Miss. The following day, a different visitor pointed it out to a different staff member but again it was left as Miss.

Over the 4 day stay, the title varied from Mrs to Miss, back to Mrs then Miss and finally Ms. All of this lady's identification, labels from pharmacy medication, medical records etc have her title as Dr.

Now, I know that in the grand scheme of things it's not a huge deal and there are bigger things to worry about in the world, however, I can't help but think that it's hugely disrespectful to deliberately give someone an incorrect title? I also cannot fathom what the problem was with giving her the correct title?

So, can any hospital staff shed any light? And AIBU to think that they should have used her correct title.

A poster upthread said titles such as "Lord" are not used after you retire -- no, absolutely not, if you inherit such a title or have it bestowed on you then you remain a Lord until you turn your toes up.
I think retired professors might well still be referred to as such, as a courtesy. Which is what should have happened in this case.

The General Medical Council states that on retirement, even without retaining their registration to practice medicine, a retired doctor can continue to use the title of 'Doctor' if they choose.
The hospital should have used whatever title the lady opts for in other situations.

Ffs the staff have more important things to worry about.

If that’s the case, why did the nurse REFUSE to use the woman’s correct title?

Its up to her what she would like to be called, if she wants to be called Dr xxx then that's what the staff should do. If a visitor pointed this out I would expect the staff to ask the patient.

She had retired but even so, she still retains the title in the same way that someone with a PhD retains theirs.

No. A PhD is a doctoral degree- you become a Doctor of Philosophy. Once you have passed the PhD you have the title “Dr”, regardless of employment or field.

A medical degree is an undergraduate degree. Not a doctoral degree. If you pass your degree and practice medicine (same for dentists and vets) you can use Dr.

If you do a medical degree then go on to be an accountant, you do not use the Dr title.

My only thought is as she is no longer practicing then she would no longer need to use the title ?

Ppl that aren't medical doctors use their title, and for their whole life.

If Dr is the title she uses then that should be what she’s called during her hospital stay imo.

I would find this very disrespectful.

Agreed. Rude and disrespectful to someone people should look up to and admire.

Have asked DP, a practicing Dr (medical) - he would always address another Dr as such whether practicing or otherwise.

It is a courtesy title and when you no longer have a licence to practice it falls away - however he would always address them as Dr.

I also have an aunt and friend who have PhD's. In this case the title is lifelong.

Idonitcare - I completely agree with you
This lady worked hard for her right to become a doctor and deserves the respect that title gives her.

The title isn't a curtesy. It's an earned title. It doesn't extinguish.

I agree with wiggly -

Its up to her what she would like to be called, if she wants to be called Dr xxx then that's what the staff should do. If a visitor pointed this out I would expect the staff to ask the patient.

She may also, whilst practising as a GP and having been qualified, not actually be educated to doctoral level but to postgraduate level in medicine. I'm not knocking her efforts - just pointing out that whilst colloquially you might call her doctor, without an MD she won't necessarily use the title formally.

This isn't right, at least in the UK context. VERY few clinicians have a "Doctor of Medicine" degree in this country. It is a research degree, and indeed at some institutions it is a higher doctorate awarded for a portfolio of many years' research. It is not undertaken as part of the training to become a qualified clinician (as opposed to in the US and other countries where it is a professional qualification for practising medicine).

Medics in the UK are qualified as "Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery" or equivalent, but this has the same status as an American MD qualification and doctors routinely and formally use the title "Dr." with or without an additional research-based higher degree.

No she is a patient. Who cares if shes a dr or a friggin MBE. Lables give entitlement to people when at the end of the day all you should be caring about is her health and was she ok.

They broke one of the rules of patient centred care.
Thats her chosen title one she has used mist of her life, how dare they decide she doesnt get to use it?
Plus having them refer to her as 'Mrs' is downright disrespectful and lazy.
Also having notes, medications and anything else titled 'Dr' X' and staff referring to her as 'Mrs' /'Miss' could well have caused errors.

And i am struggling to see how the hell they could possibly mix up an 80yr old patient with a ward Dr when handing over patient care info!

I would be asking why they refused to use it in writing.

(Ex nurse in elderly care for donkeys years before anyone accuses me of nurse bashing. One of the interview questions for new nurses used in my unit was actually based on a similar scenario. Out of respect for the patient = they were referred to as Dr X)

I’d guess it’s because in a hospital it could cause confusion with people thinking her staff rather than patient.

If hospital staff lack the ability to distinguish their colleagues from their patients then we certainly have some bigger problems to worry about here.

Also calling her Dr breaks confidentiality.

How? Is calling me Mrs breaking confidentiality because it tells people I'm married then?

The title isn't a curtesy. It's an earned title. It doesn't extinguish

A medical degree is not a doctoral degree. Practicing physicians are allowed to use it without having a postgrad qualification.

What Micah said.

I'm hospital staff and yes they should have used her correct title. However in my hospital we put their first name and surname on the boards not their title. If it was me and you said it was Dr i would change it there and then. It only takes 2 seconds

Completly wrong of the hospital. Not all doctors are medical Doctors but they are Doctors for life, all of them.
We use the title Dr for the Drs we have looked after, and also used the title Lady xx for the lovely lady I looked after too. They are who they are, the nurses don't get to decide their title.

I know someone who was a nurse in a local hospital and mentioned how she disliked the idea that an elderly titled lady had Lady - on her notes and above her bed.
She felt strongly that it could well mean that staff might give her preferential treatment and that everyone should be treated the same no matter their station in life.

Is the patient able to tell the staff how she wants to be addressed OP ?

If that’s her chosen title, it should be used. Bet they wouldn’t remove a Rev.

I'd also wonder if they'd remove the Dr from a male retired practitioner. It seems a very petty and disrespectful thing to do - especially to a woman ho has worked hard to earn that title in what was a male-dominated world at the time (and in some areas still is)

No she is a patient. Who cares if shes a dr or a friggin MBE. Lables give entitlement to people when at the end of the day all you should be caring about is her health and was she ok.

What a horrible post hope you arent in medicine. Your attitude is vile people who want to be addressed by thier proper title whether it's Ms, Mrs or Dr is not having 'entitlement' ffs. Working in a hospital doesnt make you better than anyone else.
Nor give you the right to treat them like cattle.

It makes every differrnce to treat someone with respect and dignity. Especially in a situation where they are vulnerable.

Patients are people first, patients second.