Displaying credentials

[jetMA96]

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.

Best regards,

MA, BSN, RN-BC

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Nothing wrong displaying your hard earned letters. Again, hateration!!!!

No, more like professionalism. Desperately trying to get nurses to display the same dignity as other professions.

Losing the battle...

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Maybe not on their chest (their clothes aren't embroidered and they don't wear badges). On their business cards, the name plate on their office door, or the billboard advertising their business, yes.

Seriously? Bankers, attorneys, CFO's, COO's display their BOA's? Their MBA's?

Not in my experience. They display their current title. That's it. That's sufficient to inform the customer/patient.

Nurses, on the other hand, tend to want to display credentials from every CEU, every.single.seminar, every degree achieved since high school. We denigrate ourselves as a profession by demanding that attention be paid to our academic achievements and every single hoop we've jumped through, as opposed to simply stating our professional, licensed designation: LPN, RN, ANP, et al.

[eroc]

Seriously? Bankers, attorneys, CFO's, COO's display their BOA's? Their MBA's?

Not in my experience. They display their current title. That's it. That's sufficient to inform the customer/patient.

Nurses, on the other hand, tend to want to display credentials from every CEU, every.single.seminar, every degree achieved since high school. We denigrate ourselves as a profession by demanding that attention be paid to our academic achievements and every single hoop we've jumped through, as opposed to simply stating our professional, licensed designation: LPN, RN, ANP, et al.

Excellent post. Best one in this thread, IMHO.

[nursemaple2]

In my hospital,every discipline lists all their degrees, licenses and certifications in their email signature. I know which financial staff are CPAs, which doctors are MD-PhDs, which also have MPh. Which social workers have masters. Which critical care RN hold certification. A few have it on their badge. I find it interesting and helpful. Don't understand why it annoys people

[Glycerine82, LPN]

One of the nurses I used to work with would sign her chart audits Sally Sue, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN, CRRN. It used to make me chuckle. I would be darn proud of those credentials, but no way would I write them out every single time!

[danielle2000, MSN, RN]

You can't begin to compare nursing with other professions. Nursing is unique because there are so many facets in becoming an RN and adding more education to pursue other endeavors in this field. Why not display them? I am glad there is a correct way of doing so.

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

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.

This is off topic, but where I work members of various committees are hand picked by the boss. They are approached to join. I have never been asked. I have >20 yrs experience. The committees are populated by the new nurses. To be honest, they are much happier employees.

I gave some thought to other professions who wear their credentials on their chest. Ever see a 4 star general in full dress uniform? Not letters, but medals.

[TammyG]

The alphabets soup is even more ridiculous with advanced practice nurses. We have a prescription form that lists all of our MDs and NPs and every one of the NP's uses a different alphabet soup in a different order. It really does look ridiculous. I think it contributes to the public's confusion about what advanced practice nurses are and what they can do. The AANP is really trying to standardize the list of credentials but I don't think many people are listening.

This is an interesting issue and, well maybe not directly relevant to patient care, does reflect on many issues including the public's perception of nursing as a profession. I want to think the original poster for starting it.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

thanks, i thought so, you saved me the research.

this was in response to Boston's comment on not having a BSN, but having a MSN...

[morte, LPN, LVN]

yes ma'am, and i am one.

This was in response to "need a degree" before the RN, inre to diploma nurses....

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I just noticed my credentials here aren't according to the rules the original posted posted. So, I went to where you set up what's after your name, here, and found a checklist. You check off the pertinent information and allnurses writes the credentials after your name. It also doesn't allow for all possible choices.

If there's a definite rule, can allnurses.com make the system here follow it?

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I know many MSNs/DNPs that have no BSN.

This is true, both in nursing as well non-nursing fields. There is no requirement that one must progress from associates to bachelors to masters to doctorate, getting each degree along the way. Many people skip a degree or two.