Sister, Nurse or Nurse Practitioner?

Many patients who come to a physician’s office or a hospital are not sure about how to call the nurses. They usually refer to them as sister, nurse or nurse practitioner.

“Only my brother calls me sister"

Calling nurses “sisters" is inherent to the history and tradition of this profession in our culture. Indeed, in the past, nursing was the sole domain of nuns (who were also addressed as sisters).

Over time, however, nursing became a “civilian" profession and now most of the nurses are not members of any order. This form of address, however, has come into use in common Polish and many people still keep to the tradition of calling a nurse “sister".

The problem of what form to use when addressing a nurse has been a recurring and hotly-debated theme indeed. In 2011, the Nurse and Midwife Journal launched a campaign under the theme: “Only my brother calls me sister." This way some of the nurses expressed their dissatisfaction with or even a protest against being called “sisters."

The nurses aimed at sparking a discussion on this issue. They visited, for instance, hospitals in Kraków and Poznań wore pinned buttons with the slogan of the campaign.

A rift in the community

The community of nurses, however, does not seem to agree on what form of address is appropriate. An important factor here is the age of nurses and patients, and the context. In other words, the question is how nurses should be addressed by young patients, elderly people and physicians.

Some nurses believe that by calling them “sister", patients want to express their trust and the need to for the understanding of and compassion towards their suffering.

Others claim, however, that the “sister" form of address might suggest that the profession of nurse is inferior to other medical professions. Such a form might downplay the high qualifications which one has to achieve to become a nurse and reduce their role to mere “minders", without recognising their professional skills and competence.

The most controversial it the issue of nurses being called “sisters" by other members of the medical staff. Some of the nurses claim this downgrades the profile of their profession.

##“Sister"? Not a good idea

Teresa Kuziara, Vice-President of the General Council of Nurses and Midwifes, agrees that the “sister" form of address to nurses is questionable and rightly protested against.

“It is, however, understandable that patients use this form, as it is part of a tradition," observes Ms Kuziara.

She makes a point, nonetheless, that in Poland it is customary to refer to anyone as “Mr" or “Ms", and such form should be used with reference to nurses as well. “This profession is governed by specific legislation and has a specific name that should be used," she stressed.

She also makes a point about the new form of addressing nurses and midwifes, which recognises the fact of their having university education. Indeed, it is becoming commonplace to refer to nurses as “Ms Practitioner" (NPs).

Teresa Kuziara emphasises that the most appropriate and neutral form is “Ms", “Ms Nurse" or “Ms Practitioner".

If you are having doubts about how to call a nurse, it is best just to ask her.