This is a pet peeve of mine because I think it makes us nurses look ignorant and unprofessional. I have seen nurses display their credentials as RN-BSN, RN, BSN; BSN, RN; BA, RN, BSN and the list goes on.
There is a proper way to display credentials and the rationale is quite simple: the degree goes first followed by any licenses and finally any certifications. The reason the degree goes first is because once earned it can NEVER be lost - an unethical nurse can lose his or her license. Also a degree is REQUIRED to get the license so must have been obtained first.
In the event of multiple degrees the HIGHEST degree goes first followed by lowered degrees in a different area that are PERTINENT to the persons position or responsibility. For example, Jane Smith, MA, BSN, RN-BC or John Smith, DNP, MBA, RN-BC. There is never a need to list a lower degree in the same area because one cannot earn an MSN if he or she did not already earn a BSN.
Let's all get on the same page nurses and display our hard earned credentials correctly. If you don't believe or understand me please see the American Nurses Credentialing Center for guidance. Here is the link: http://www.nursecredentialing.org/DisplayCredentials-Brochure.pdf
Thanks for listening all. Believe it or not I get questions about this ALL the time why we (nurses) don't do this the same and as a former journalist it's like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. This is my attempt to reach many of my fellow nurses and correct the error. Nurses are AWESOME so let's all get on the same page here.
So I would be MAT, BS, BSN, AS, AAS, RN? Then add the ONC after certs?
We are only allowed 4 creds on our badges. Some put their clinical levels (CNI, CNII, etc) and certifications so it might be RN, BSN, CNIV, ONC. I think they encourage certification so that it shows that we have gone above and beyond and have extra training.
For me only cold hard cash would encourage me to climb the ladder etc, not here's a one time raise that we reserve the right to take away from you in the future if you don't jump thru all our ever changing hoops each year! I'm happy just being known as RN, don't need any extra credentials on view. It's the RN that pays the bills, the rest is just fluff.
For me only cold hard cash would encourage me to climb the ladder etc, not here's a one time raise that we reserve the right to take away from you in the future if you don't jump thru all our ever changing hoops each year! I'm happy just being known as RN, don't need any extra credentials on view. It's the RN that pays the bills, the rest is just fluff.
Haha, I remember this one patient the other day. Their family was at bedside. The patient asked me something and I said "I don't know, that's a question for the doctor." They looked confused. The family told them "that's not your doctor. That's the nurse." Then a few sentences later "that's the tech." I think they settled on calling me their tech. I don't knkw. Regardless it didn't impact either care or compensation and everyone was hapoy. Why care what title you have ?
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.
went to check my CV, and whew, I have it correctly ordered.
Why do I choose to display my qualifications on my CV? I worked damm hard and I'm proud of them. I came from a very challenging background prior to nursing and its a wonderful way to show the health professionals who said it would be unlikely if I made it to 25. I'm now 37 with a double degree, and being a registered nurse.
OP, get over it. People are allowed to be proud of their achievements and gasp heaven forbid show off a little. The proof of a good nurse remains rooted in their clinical skills not the degrees they have.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
The only person who knows about or cares for your certs are you and your employer and they will verify by checking your documents.
I disagree. My certification is IBCLC. A knowledgeable consumer will know that if they need breastfeeding assistance, they should look for that credential, not the handful of other credentials (CLC, CLE, etc). So yeah, that's on my business card. If I'm giving lactation assistance, I will also sign my documentation with my credential.
Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.
I never gave much (any) thought to this and didn't even realize there was an etiquette to listing credentials
I was told about this in my BSN program. There is an etiquette when publishing papers. That's why I was making a joke of what my "alphabet soup" would look like. I go by Me, RN.
Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.
For me only cold hard cash would encourage me to climb the ladder etc, not here's a one time raise that we reserve the right to take away from you in the future if you don't jump thru all our ever changing hoops each year! I'm happy just being known as RN, don't need any extra credentials on view. It's the RN that pays the bills, the rest is just fluff.
I am interested in the ladder only because I am interested in changing things where I work-for the better. I like learning about how everything works and you have to play the game a little to gain access. I am actually interested in those nurses that come to work, punch in, do their 12 hours and punch out. They serve on no committees or don't participate in unit specific or even hospital events. THEN they complain about stuff, not knowing why certain things happen for a reason. They aren't necessarily part of the problem, but they aren't willing to be part of the solution.
The only time it bothers me is when several people are presenting together and they don't match. For example, I gave a presentation at a nursing conference and our first PPT slide read: NAME, RN, PhD; NAME, PhD, RN; NAME; RN, MS; NAME, MSN, BSN, RN.
That kinda drove me crazy but normally I don't really care. I do mine according to the AANC standard: NAME, MSN, RN, CMSRN, CNE.
Meh. The alphabet soup thing is pathetic if people feel the need to wear everything on your chest. (This stuff is for resumes and CVs.) Stick to the basics- name and licensure.
Specializes in Medical-Surgical/Float Pool/Stepdown.
I agree that it is kind of silly to say both BSN and ADN, for example because once you have the higher degree, it assumes the knowledge/education of the previous (whether or not the degree was conferred on the way- BSN-to-DNP
I've always known how to electronically sign my name for things like professional emails such as after my signature it goes: BSN, RN, CMSRN and then below that "Clinical Ladder III" etc but when AN gave us a choice to list our education and licenses and such I chose to display both my associates and my bachelors simply because I worked hard for both education levels. I also feel that by listing both, other readers can sorta see a little bit of my personal path in nursing without needing to guess or dig.
. But there are different styles in different countries.
brandy1017, ASN, RN
2,910 Posts
For me only cold hard cash would encourage me to climb the ladder etc, not here's a one time raise that we reserve the right to take away from you in the future if you don't jump thru all our ever changing hoops each year! I'm happy just being known as RN, don't need any extra credentials on view. It's the RN that pays the bills, the rest is just fluff.