How to Address a Nurse with a Ph.D.?
How do you address an envelope to Janice Wilson, (a widow) a retired nurse who is an R.N. and has a Ph.D.?
————————–– Director of Development, Health & Wellness Center
Dear DODH&WC,
Nurses (and allied healthcare professionals: pharmacists, hospital administrators, physical therapists, etc.)are not addressed asDr. (Name) at work. Only the physicians are addressed as Dr. (Name) to prevent confusion by the patients as to who is a doctorand who is not.
—-On an official envelope:
——–Janice Wilson, Ph.D., R.N.
——–(Address)
—-Salutation:
—-—-Dear Ms. Wilson:
Maybe this is social? On social correspondence post-nominal abbreviations aren’t used. So, socially she might be using:
—-Social envelope:
—-—-Ms. (Her Name)
—-—-(Address)
—-—-—-or
—-—-Mrs. (Husband’s Full Name)
—-—-(Address)
‘Ms. (Her Name)’ is the standard form.
‘Mrs. (Husband’s Full Name)‘ might be right if you know her personally and kn0w this traditional form is her preference. Widows use this form for the rest of their lives – unless the remarry – if they choose to.
— Robert Hickey
