Allowing more than RN on name badge?

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

Does your facility allow you to have designations other than RN on your name badge (such as RN, BSN/ RN, ccrn etc.)? our hospital does not allow this and it is a thorn in the side of some of the RN's I work with. there are a couple of nurses I know who have gone to hr and were able to sweet talked someone into making them a name badge with all the designations on it. one in particular was a new grad, hired the same time as 2 other new grads, who insisted that her name badge read "RN, BSN" and was able to have it changed.

Now, all the new grads in our ICU are BSN's because that's hospital hiring policy. the 2 other BSN new grads went to hr to have their name badges changed also, but weren't so lucky and were told "no" regarding additional designations. so . . .they went out and bought gold "BSN" tack pins and tacked the "BSN" pins onto their name badges (we aren't suppose to tack any pins onto our badges either).

Personally, I know I'm a BSN and I'm not concerned about having all the initials after my name. actually because I have two bachelors degrees I guess I could use bs biology, RN, BSN . . .now that would really confuse 'em! yet, there are others who think it is unfair not to recognize nursing educational achievements such as ccrn or cnrn etc. on the name badge.

Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.
Tsk, tsk. I long to see the day when nurses can be proud of their educational acheivements without being accused of being "on a power trip" or "snobby". If someone wants to wear their credentials, whatever they may be I say go for it. In fact the sooner we value our education and our achievements, the sooner others will do so. It's no wonder many people think nurses are undereducated handmaidens.

My facility allows it.

SharonH, MSN RN

:yeahthat:

For fun, I asked a few of my friends how long a person had to go school to become a nurse - "a year or two" was the answer I got - they don't understand all the different degrees and designations. Most of them don't even really understand the RN and LPN designation. When I went to NP school they were completely confused!

We should all be proud of the education and credentials we have earned, whatever those are - I was darn proud of my AS when I earned that!

The name tags should say in large easily to read letters "RN" and then the credentials should be on there underneath as well. Maybe it doesnt matter so much to patients, but it should matter to US and to our peers. No power trip involved, but I personally am very proud of my peers who have invested the time and energy to get certified or obtain more education!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I doubt it had anything to do with pedestal - you sign your name that way so many times in a day that it jsut becomes habit. I have signed checks and written "RN" after the signature! :lol2:

Me too. :D

steph

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.
:yeahthat:

For fun, I asked a few of my friends how long a person had to go school to become a nurse - "a year or two" was the answer I got - they don't understand all the different degrees and designations. Most of them don't even really understand the RN and LPN designation. When I went to NP school they were completely confused!

We should all be proud of the education and credentials we have earned, whatever those are - I was darn proud of my AS when I earned that!

The name tags should say in large easily to read letters "RN" and then the credentials should be on there underneath as well. Maybe it doesnt matter so much to patients, but it should matter to US and to our peers. No power trip involved, but I personally am very proud of my peers who have invested the time and energy to get certified or obtain more education!

Do you know I am an RN from the UK and I find it difficult to understand because in the UK you have to go to university for a minimum 3 years for a diploma/degree in nursing and sometimes 4 years for the degree.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.
Do you know I am an RN from the UK and I find it difficult to understand because in the UK you have to go to university for a minimum 3 years for a diploma/degree in nursing and sometimes 4 years for the degree.

Madwife - its pretty similar here - an AD or AS degree in nursing is a 2 year degree required to obtain an RN, but by the time you take all the basic courses, apply and get in to the nursing track it usually takes most folks about 3 years. It is an additional year of pre-requisite courses and an additional year of nursing courses for a BS.

An LPN (LVN in some states) is a 1 year program with very few pre-requisite courses.

Now throw in direct entry nursing programs, diploma programs and the multiple tracks encompassed within even the same schools and no wonder the public is confused!

I had the pleasure of explaining to a group of high school kids not too long ago what they had to do to get into nursing - the greatest number of questions were about all the confusion in the kinds of nurses and degrees.

Somethin's gotta give...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.
Madwife - its pretty similar here - an AD or AS degree in nursing is a 2 year degree required to obtain an RN, but by the time you take all the basic courses, apply and get in to the nursing track it usually takes most folks about 3 years. It is an additional year of pre-requisite courses and an additional year of nursing courses for a BS.

An LPN (LVN in some states) is a 1 year program with very pre-requisite courses.

Now throw in direct entry nursing programs, diploma programs and the multiple tracks encompassed within even the same schools and no wonder the public is confused!

I had the pleasure of explaining to a group of high school kids not too long ago what they had to do to get into nursing - the greatest number of questions were about all the confusion in the kinds of nurses and degrees.

Somethin's gotta give...

Thank you for the explination it does make you head

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Now throw in direct entry nursing programs, diploma programs and the multiple tracks encompassed within even the same schools and no wonder the public is confused!

I had the pleasure of explaining to a group of high school kids not too long ago what they had to do to get into nursing - the greatest number of questions were about all the confusion in the kinds of nurses and degrees.

Somethin's gotta give...

I agree with you completely. We have too many entry routes and levels. We need to simply it by reducing the number of pathways whereby one becomes a nurse. This is not because I think the graduates of any particular type of program are unworthy ... but because the mulitple pathways and degree possibilities is too confusing.

I am furious at the leaders in the schools who keep making up new degrees and new titles -- not only at the entry level, but also at the advanced level.

I know it seems that I have hi-jacked the thread a bit ... but it does directly relate to the original topic. Nobody knows what all those letters behind our names mean because there are too many possibilities!

llg

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

I like the 2+2 idea myself.

A 2 year degree with a 2 year add on for a BS - optional of course, but strongly encouraged by an increase in pay that actually makes a difference. When it matters in the form of money, maybe then it will matter to the folks who say it doesn't matter :)

Maybe the folks who grant magnet status ought to add that to the list - "Large pay differential for additional education" LOL

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

"the adn/bsn debate has been discussed extensively here.

please see this thread which contains links to previous discussions and articles to assist in nursing papers: adn vs. bsn for entry level nursing

please keep all future discussion on this thread for future students use. "

adn vs. bsn for entry level nursing

to repeat (reference post #20):

please stay on-topic: allowing more than rn on name badge?

further "entry-level" remarks will result in the closing of this thread.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.
"the adn/bsn debate has been discussed extensively here.

please see this thread which contains links to previous discussions and articles to assist in nursing papers: adn vs. bsn for entry level nursing

please keep all future discussion on this thread for future students use. "

adn vs. bsn for entry level nursing

to repeat (reference post #20):

please stay on-topic: allowing more than rn on name badge?

further "entry-level" remarks will result in the closing of this thread.

sorry boss;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

We werent comparing the two though :o

It *IS* funny that some facilities try to call a nurse a nurse - even when it comes to the name badge.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am amused as many people are, that nursing is the only profession that feels it necessary to let others know that they have a bachelor degree.

In most professions and even non professions a bachelor degree is not even entry level. I know too many people with bachelor degrees who are doing very ordinary below entry level jobs.

It is often those who have the least to brag about that find it necessary to brag the most.

Commonsense tells the most ignorent person that you have some sort of education that they do not. You don't have to slam it home that your degree is pretty ordinary.

Most people with a degree have a bachelor degree.

Besides wisdom and knowledge speak for themselves. You can have ten doctoral degrees and still be an idiot.

I would rather people think me an idiot than to plaster it on my name badge and confirm it.

Most people today assume nurses have at least a bachelor degree.

Perhaps, you are trying to set yourself apart from the ADN. Then just let your practice do it for you.

Because frankly there are pleanty of ADN grads who are better than you. I feel safe in saying this because it is a simple fact of life that there will always be those better and lesser than you and some who will be better will not have your formal education. Some who have more formal education will not be as smart, wise, knowledgable as you.

In the US today ANYONE can get a bachelor degree.

:devil:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I am amused as many people are, that nursing is the only profession that feels it necessary to let others know that they have a bachelor degree.

In most professions and even non professions a bachelor degree is not even entry level. I know too many people with bachelor degrees who are doing very ordinary below entry level jobs.

It is often those who have the least to brag about that find it necessary to brag the most.

Commonsense tells the most ignorent person that you have some sort of education that they do not. You don't have to slam it home that your degree is pretty ordinary.

Most people with a degree have a bachelor degree.

Besides wisdom and knowledge speak for themselves. You can have ten doctoral degrees and still be an idiot.

I would rather people think me an idiot than to plaster it on my name badge and confirm it.

Most people today assume nurses have at least a bachelor degree.

Perhaps, you are trying to set yourself apart from the ADN. Then just let your practice do it for you.

Because frankly there are pleanty of ADN grads who are better than you. I feel safe in saying this because it is a simple fact of life that there will always be those better and lesser than you and some who will be better will not have your formal education. Some who have more formal education will not be as smart, wise, knowledgable as you.

In the US today ANYONE can get a bachelor degree.

:devil:

Excellent points, very well said. I am in complete agreement about the entire post. Of course feathers will be ruffled and the whole thread will probably be closed, but ya gotta love it when someone comes along and hits the nail directly on the head. If you were here with me, I'd be buying you a beer right now. :thankya:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment