What's In A Name Badge?

Nurses Professionalism

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Hi All! (I can feel the flames already)

This is sort of a vent post and my curiosity on all of you wonderful ladies and gentlemen's take on the subject...NOT AN ADN vs BSN bullcrap argument, so please NONE of that. :)

I have my BSN. I went to a 4 year program. When I got my first job 3 years ago the hospital automatically put RN-BSN on my name badge. Never did I catch so much cattiness and people assuming I felt "superior." NOT THE CASE AT ALL. I didn't even ask for it to be on my badge. I had one LPN who constantly made snide comments "BSN my a**, she knows nothing." New grads were supposed to know it all I guess?? *eye roll*

FAST FORWARD to the present. I accepted a new job at another hospital. HR asked what I wanted on my badge. I told them "please just put RN. I don't want BSN." I just want to avoid anyone thinking that I have some chip on my shoulder. I do not want to come off snobbish. I am not saying those who want BSN on their badge are snobbish but in my experience this is how it's perceived. I do not feel I am any better than an ADN prepared nurse. They are wonderful!!

What is everyone's take on this? Anyone been in a similar situation?

Specializes in Hospital medicine; NP precepting; staff education.
An RN is the minimal level of licensure for a professional nurse.

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What about LPNs? They're professional nurses.

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Specializes in BMT, Oncology, LTC/SNF.
Not according to the ANCC. Highest degree achieved FIRST, then license, then certifications.

Ive seen it go both ways. Funny enough, no one has told me I'm wrong for my badge saying RN, BSN, OCN (also what I do in emails and official documents).

I am proud of my BSN. It means I made it and can rest easy From trying to get bare minimum in the nursing field (cause lets face it, acute care hospitals expect a BSN).

And I am super proud of my OCN. I proved to myself I know I am in the right field and specialty as an oncology nurse. It gives my patients a good talking point and allows them to know that while I may not know everything, I have excellent resources to find the right and most evidence based answers. Next up: BMTCN! Now that I'm on a BMT unit :)

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

Oddly a co-worker and I were talking about this same thing not too long ago. Part of the issue that seems to be nursing specific is simply the vast amount of ways with their different degree titles that pretty much mean the same thing. It's more than a little confusing and starts right at the beginning of nursing:

A CNA is a certified nursing assistant but in some areas they are an RNA or registered nursing assistant and don't forget the PCA or personal care assistant that may or may not be state certified or registered but has the exact same job description. Is it LPN or LVN? Depends on where you live, but as far as I can tell it's two different titles for the exact same level of education and license. Then get to RN and the fun really really begins. How many degree paths are there? Seriously, I ask because I am not sure other that to feel safe saying a lot. Off the top of my head I come up with Diploma, ASN, ADN, BSN, BAN, MSN, PhD-Nursing and there are a bunch of advanced practice degrees with different titles that are specific to area of practice.

All the different degree paths don't even begin to cover the alphabet soup confusion when you start throwing certifications into the mix. I have no problem with people displaying them as I am sure they worked darn hard to earn them but honestly I have not a clue what some of them mean without looking them up. If other professional nurses are confused enough to ask, imagine how people that have no knowledge of the field feel.

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I would be more concerned about the fact that an RN name badge typically includes first name only when MD badges use only the last name. This invites a familiarity that is inconsistent with professionalism and intimates a devalued status that I find truly offensive.

I have never worked anywhere that had ID badges with first name only, so this post surprises me. Never first name only, for anyone. I've only had First Last, RN on my badges, and the docs have First Last, MD. Lots of times I've seen the argument to have only first names on IDs for privacy reasons but I think people have a right to know who is taking care of them, and it's a professional image. The waitress at the diner I go to has only her first name on her tag, that's not the culture we should be projecting with our IDs.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.
Interestingly enough, when I worked in the prison we had FIRST AND LAST. You'd be shocked what the inmates would find out about you. I just made sure to keep social media as private settings as I could.

That absolutely blows my mind that in all environments, they would have full names in a prison setting!! I avoid social media completely, partially to avoid such situations.

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Thank you everyone for the responses. It is interesting to see all the points of view and thank you for not letting it spiral too much into a battle ;)

One theme I kept seeing reoccur is the "full name" vs "first name" on badges. Interestingly enough, when I worked in the prison we had FIRST AND LAST. You'd be shocked what the inmates would find out about you. I just made sure to keep social media as private settings as I could.

have you checked to see if your BON has any name badge requirements? In Montana, you must have first and last name as well as license type in at least 18 point font.

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Specializes in Hospital medicine; NP precepting; staff education.
I have never worked anywhere that had ID badges with first name only, so this post surprises me. Never first name only, for anyone. I've only had First Last, RN on my badges, and the docs have First Last, MD. Lots of times I've seen the argument to have only first names on IDs for privacy reasons but I think people have a right to know who is taking care of them, and it's a professional image. The waitress at the diner I go to has only her first name on her tag, that's not the culture we should be projecting with our IDs.

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We used to have first and last and now we only do first. I remember the days as a young nurse my mentor called everyone Nurse [Last name] and insisted on it. It felt special to be referred to as a title. But it doesn't bother me not to.

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As far as I can tell, ninety percent of people don't look at badges closely enough to have any idea what's on them at all, so I could put "RN, BSN, High Queen of Narnia" on there and patients would still be confusing me with the dietary aide they reported their pain to ten minutes ago.

I have a giant flaming red "RN" tag on my name badge (and position-color-coded scrubs but that's another story) and all it does is make it heavier. People don't care.

Personally, I only take issue with badges that have my last name on them. Patients should have the right to identify me as an employee, not look up where I live or go hunting for my FB profile.

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Specializes in PACU, Oncology/hospice.

I shouldn't care but I do, some nurses where I work have BSN-RN on their badge and others have RN, what I think is crazy is I was hired on with a BSN-RN, another colleague just got their BSN and they issued them a new badge with BSN-RN, while mine still says RN. I also do not like having my last name on my badge as some of the patients I care for are inmates, etc. I do feel like though many other nurses LPNs, and ADNs treat BSN nurses poorly as they think that us BSN nurses think we are better than them, when in reality we aren't and I have learned the majority of my nursing skills and other skills from ADNs LPNs, and CNAs/techs! I in no way think I am better than anyone! I just feel like I worked hard for those other 3 letters lol, oh for the day that nurses don't eat their young......

Back to the last name thing, I have had patients request me on facebook, of course I did NOT accept, but its worrying when you get requests from patients, and patients who look up your nursing license by your first and last name and ask if your address is next to blah blah road, or restaurant... because they looked it up online on google... I feel like it is a huge safety issue especially in some situations.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Regarding last names, why is that nurses shouldn't have to reveal them? All physicians do, since they go by Dr. Whatsis. Besides, patients have a right to know who is providing their care. Even if you don't have your last name on your ID, a determined patient can still find it- all they have to do is request to look at their medical record.

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Regarding last names, why is that nurses shouldn't have to reveal them? All physicians do, since they go by Dr. Whatsis. Besides, patients have a right to know who is providing their care. Even if you don't have your last name on your ID, a determined patient can still find it- all they have to do is request to look at their medical record.

I believe a patient has every right to hold staff accountable, and that means revealing last names in certain circumstances. But I suspect it's more common that patients look up nurses for kicks than that they have a legitimate professional reason to need a nurse's full legal name.

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Since when does a mere Bachelors degree afford anyone the right to be perceived or even act "snobbish"....Ph.D. maybe but come on a Bachelors really......that's laughable at best. Is this a nursing thing? Most of my collegues have master's degrees guess what nobody cares. I've met so far 4 LVNs with Ph.D's trust me they don't care. I'll be an LVN with dual Masters......again who cares? What matters is your level of expertise, your knowledge and your ability to deliver safe, competent care.

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