Florida legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Florida S36: Use of Professional Nursing Titles
Status: Failed, March 13, 2026
Providing that licensed advanced practice registered nurses who hold specified degrees may use titles and abbreviations associated with those degrees in a specified manner; prohibiting such persons from holding themselves out to patients or prospective patients as a doctor in advertising without also clearly denoting their licensed profession, etc.
What the bill says
An act relating to the use of professional nursing titles; amending s. 464.015, F.S.; providing that licensed advanced practice registered nurses who hold specified degrees may use titles and abbreviations associated with those degrees in a specified manner; prohibiting such persons from holding themselves out to patients or prospective patients as a doctor in advertising without also clearly denoting their licensed profession; providing for disciplinary action; providing an effective date.
From the introduced text, February 16, 2026:
A bill to be entitled An act relating to the use of professional nursing titles; amending s. 464.015, F.S.; providing that licensed advanced practice registered nurses who hold specified degrees may use titles and abbreviations associated with those degrees in a specified manner; prohibiting such persons from holding themselves out to patients or prospective patients as a doctor in advertising without also clearly denoting their licensed profession; providing for disciplinary action; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1.âSubsections (8) and (10) of section 464.015, Florida Statutes, are amended to restrictions; penalty.â (8)âOnly persons who hold valid licenses to practice as advanced practice registered nurses in this state may use the title âAdvanced Practice Registered Nurseâ and the abbreviation âA.P.R.N.â (a)âA licensed advanced practice registered nurse who also holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree or a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree may use the title âDoctor of Philosophyâ and the abbreviation âPh.D.,â or the title âDoctor of Nursing Practiceâ and the abbreviation âD.N.P.,â respectively, in a manner consistent with the doctoral degree such person holds. (b)âA person authorized under paragraph (a) to use a title or abbreviation associated with a doctoral degree in a clinical setting may not hold himself or herself out as a doctor to patients or prospective patients …