Am I being snotty? I am a new grad and I have been working at my hospital for the past 10 weeks. Next week I will be finished with orientation. I am considering paying the $15 to have my ID badge redone to reflect my degree. Security put my First and Last name, RN on my badge. I didn't think anything of it until recently when some of my coworkers asked me about my degree. Since the comment I have noticed that the nurses with advanced degrees have it reflected on their badges.
I don't believe that having a BSN makes me any better a nurse than someone with an RN, but at the same time I would like to be recognized for all the hard work I did to earn my degree.
Snotty? Nah. Silly, maybe. I'd rather buy something cool with $15, but to each his own. Staff who you know well probably know where you went to school (and therefore what degrees they offer), others don't care, and most patients would just wonder what BSN stands for. But there's nothing wrong with changing it if it'll make you feel better.
Specializes in LTC, Wounds, Med/Surg, Tele, Triage.
I thought I was the only one! I paid the money to have mine changed, just like I paid the money to get the degree!! Might not matter to anyone but me. But it matters none the less...
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Sounds like it's a big deal with your co-workers if several of them have eyed your badge, kinda like the people who check clothing tags to see if it came from Ann Taylor or Target, so yeah, I would. Congrats on your new career!!
Certainly not being proud of your accomplishments is a good thing :-). I believe the reasoning for most hospitals for not having credentials on the name bands have more to do with family and patients requesting only BSN or higher credentials nursing staff. Our hospital rewards us in others ways ( by monetary stipends) for extra certifications, education, etc. If it really bothers you check to see if you could get a lab coat with those initals and your name on it!! Being proud of yourself for all your work is healthy and human!!!
Specializes in Cardiac, Hospice, Float pool, Med/Peds.
I am very proud of my BSN and when I started HR did not put it on... Luckily for me, they gave me a new one with the correct information...
Do I think I am better than an ADN? Heck no; but I worked hard and went to 5 years of college for my degree and it makes me feel good that others know it...
I know that ADN school is hard too, so I am not dissing that... We are all RN's and should be proud of passing boards to be the RN's we all are; no matter of degree... :)
I dont think it makes you "snotty" at all. YOu worked hard for your degree. I am pursuing my BSN and I will sign RN,BSN when I have it and will desire to have it reflected on my badge.
. I believe the reasoning for most hospitals for not having credentials on the name bands have more to do with family and patients requesting only BSN or higher credentials nursing staff. Our hospital rewards us in others ways ( by monetary stipends) for extra certifications, education, etc.
OK, I've wiped up the coffee I just spit out.
Up here the family/patient would get ripped a new one by the Nurse Managers if they ever pulled that. An RN is an RN, just as an LPN is an LPN. Degree entry is the only way to obtain the title RN (and yes, we still have a large number of hospital and college trained RNs working) and the LPN is a two year college diploma. Without passing the national exam, you basically have useless qualifications.
I know one manager who told a patient's family that they should be grateful to have a NURSE at the bedside to care for them. But hey we have universal healthcare, so no one is left out.
I don't think it's snotty at all. :) And I am an ADN nurse.
That being said, I will tell you that I was taking report from a coworker the other evening, and she made a comment about, "I don't know whether she got her xyz med, because so-and-so was supposed to give it.. because of course I can't push IV meds.."
For a second I was SO confused, but then realized- duuh- she's an LPN.. and I had never even noticed it on her badge. Must not be something I notice, apparently.
edit: well- that, or it's a terrible indication as to the sharpness of my assessment skills. LOL.
My greater concern would be having my full first and last name on the front of my badge. In some areas, that is a safety risk.
And AMEN to that. We do not have last names, and if we did I would not have it. In school, they always kept our first/last names on our badges, but we were often encouraged to put tape over our last names during clinicals.
Interesting point. How many do or plan to do this? I don't.
When I finish my BSN program I won't add the BSN to my signature. I'm way too lazy for that. My hand cramps up from all of the writing I have to do anyway, adding 3 letters what seems like a million times per day would just make it worse.
Perpetual Student
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Snotty? Nah. Silly, maybe. I'd rather buy something cool with $15, but to each his own. Staff who you know well probably know where you went to school (and therefore what degrees they offer), others don't care, and most patients would just wonder what BSN stands for. But there's nothing wrong with changing it if it'll make you feel better.