Is it RN,BSN or BSN,RN

[ava'smomRN]

This is silly and I should know, but I don't. I just graduated and passed boards. How are supposed to write your credentials, if you are an RN with BSN?

Thanks ?

[caliotter3]

I've always seen level of education subordinated to license and certifications going with the license. Personally, and in talking with other nurses, the license level is what is important. Education level is not usually an issue. Most people are not that impressed.

[jmgrn65, RN]

Officially it is BSN, RN. Because the BSN can't be taken from you or expire. Having said that you don't have to sign with your bsn or adn unless you want to.

[ETNGuy]

caliotter3 said:

I've always seen level of education subordinated to license and certifications going with the license. Personally, and in talking with other nurses, the license level is what is important. Education level is not usually an issue. Most people are not that impressed.

I agree that unless you are an educator, it's not that important. With that being said, Congratulations on your new degree and all of the hard work that went into getting it. As for your question, the accepted format is "New nurse, RN, BSN"

Again, congratulations. Welcome to nursing.

ETNGuy

[ava'smomRN]

thanks guys! so, i got two different answers??? i guess it doesnt matter to most, but it does to me. I worked hard for my BSN and its a big deal to me. I will use it whenever I can:)

[jmgrn65, RN]

When you are signing your name, you should follow it with the credentials that can least be taken away from you, in descending order, with awards or honors last. Your highest academic degree should be placed immediately after your name, before the professional designation and certification credentials.

[elkpark]

The traditional order is degree (most permanent), followed by licensure, followed by any certifications or honors (so, "BSN, RN"). However, as others have noted, you're certainly not required to list your degree every time you sign your name; lots of people just use "RN" (with any certifications) and don't bother with the degree -- the license is what matters at work.

[llg, PhD, RN]

As others have said, the "official" way to list credentials is to list the highest academic degree first and then add the licenses, then the certifications. However in nursing, so many people do it the other way around that the convention is not firmly established.

I think the practice of listing your license immediately after your name started to become the standard because most nurses start out in work environments where it is not the norm to list your educational level. When charting, they were taught to just list Nurse Name, RN in their documentation as a staff nurse. Back then, no one listed BSN or ADN etc. when they charted. As nurses got additional education, they just continued to list the RN first out of habit and just added the MSN or whatever at the end. Over the years, it just became the norm in some places to list the RN first even though it is not technically correct.

[zoo*moon, BSN, RN]

Quote

this is silly and i should know, but i dont. i just graduated and passed boards. how are supposed to write your credentials, if you are an RN with BSN?

thanks:)

Does it really matter? I honestly didn't care when I was a new graduate. Even as I graduated from my BS program I thought that the extra time was a waste of money. (Exception- unless you want to be an officer in the military.) A good bedside nurse doesn't need a BS. She/he needs experience. A BS is good for nurses who don't really want to do hands on nursing. Administration. The nurses who can make rules and more and more paperwork for us nurses doing the real nursing. Those who without the real experience make our job harder than it needs to be. Less and less time with the patient and more and more time on paperwork and the computer.

Fine, sorry, congrats on getting a Bachelor's in Nursing. Use it well.

Take care of your patients. Care for them like they were your family.

Good luck to you. Don't ever think you are any better than another nurse who does not have a BS. Forget about your letter order.

Your human resource dept will take care of that when they make your ID.

When you sign orders, write nurses' notes, you sign your name only with RN after, you don't use your degree. Your license to practice nursing is what matters, not the coursework you chose to enable you to take the licensure exam.

[anonymurse]

Let's see, an RN with a BSN. I'd put the whole signature in alphanumeric order, except for real estate, which is realer than imitation sheepskin. Jane Doe who is a RN with a BSN, an IQ of 20 and had a farm would be 02aBDeeJnNNRS, EIEIO.

[anonymurse]

In signing, be relevant. Authority to take orders over the phone, plan care, supervise, etc is granted by the licensing state and represented by the letters RN. Academic credentials are relevant in academia, as when writing papers or teaching.

[llg, PhD, RN]

anonymurse said:

In signing, be relevant. Authority to take orders over the phone, plan care, supervise, etc is granted by the licensing state and represented by the letters RN. Academic credentials are relevant in academia, as when writing papers or teaching.

I agree. It's been a while since I've done patient care ... but when I did, I just used LLG, RN. My academic degrees were not relevant. In a different context, when my academic education is relevant, I use them. LLG, PhD, RN

The hospital I work in has a "first name" culture ... and most people just call me by my first name. Other people will use "Ms." because I have some gray hair ? and they know I am in a leadership position. However, those who know me just call me by my first name. When I teach at a local university, I suddenly become "Professor LLG" or "Dr. LLG." It feels weird, but that's the culture in that environment. I generally bend to blend in with the culture of my surroundings.

Here on allnurses.com ... I am generally known as simply llg.