Does your facility put your credentials after your name on your badge?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Ex: BSN, CEN, CCRN, CORN, etc...

The new hospital I just started working at doesn't and it bothers me. The just put registered nurse above your name. My certifications are like military ribbons, they are hard earned and deserved to be shown off. I may ask about it today.

i have noticed this though, the people that typically say it shouldn't be on there are the ones that don't have them :)

i have noticed this though, the people that typically say it shouldn't be on there are the ones that don't have them :)

Not true at all. Some of us simply do not care one way or the other. We are obviously proud of our accomplishment; however, we do not see the need to put all the initials on our name badge as a deal breaker.

Specializes in ICU, nutrition.

I've worked at three different hospitals as a nurse. One place had just "registered nurse" on every RN's nametag, didn't even have the unit. I guess they thought it would be less obvious if we floated. :icon_roll Where I work now has your name and credentials, if you put them on there. I haven't changed mine since I got my certification last year because I want to get a new picture but I want to lose 10# first lol! The 3rd hospital, I don't remember for sure, but I think they did put degrees and certifications on the nametags.

Putting ACLS, TNCC, etc is overkill but if you are certified, you should put it on there. Yeah it doesn't mean much to the lay person but you come into a lot more people than patients in the hospital. Maybe a newer nurse will look at your certification on your nametag and say, hey I can do that!

Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, educator.

I have 2 certs, and I'm a BSN and I'm too lazy to have them put on my badge. My facility allows for it, but not a deal breaker for me either. They know I'm a RN, that's all most of them care about

Specializes in ..
i have noticed this though, the people that typically say it shouldn't be on there are the ones that don't have them :)

I think that's relatively narrow minded. I'm a student, so hey, I don't even have my BN - I can't talk. But nurses in Australia don't have anything like what's been described. You get EN or RN or AIN and that's it, unless you're practicing as a CNC or what have you.

Also, I think it breeds mediocrity. If everyone is going to be recognized as only an RN, that is one less reason to motivate someone to reach for more. More and more hospitals are removing raises for extra certifications/education too. Soon enough there isn't going to be any real reason to get a higher education/certifications because everyone will only be an RN and you'll be looked at just the same as a brand new graduate with zero experience.

An RN is not an RN the same as a calorie is a calorie no matter what food it comes from; there are different calibers of nurses.

Dude, you have some serious certification envy. Yes, it is good to encourage certification; however, certification is only one small part of being a good nurse. Certification does not make the nurse.

In addition, do you think handing out trinkets such as placing CEN on a name badge is really going to motivate the masses to throw down several hundred dollars, study like big dogs, then endure the stress of an exam?

Give me a raise over a few letters on a name badge any day of the week.

Dude, you have some serious certification envy. Yes, it is good to encourage certification; however, certification is only one small part of being a good nurse. Certification does not make the nurse.

In addition, do you think handing out trinkets such as placing CEN on a name badge is really going to motivate the masses to throw down several hundred dollars, study like big dogs, then endure the stress of an exam?

Give me a raise over a few letters on a name badge any day of the week.

Certification does not make the nurse, it makes the nurse better. Certification = education. Education = knowledge. Knowledge = power. I could go on with that.

Motivate the masses? No, but you reward positive behavior and it will continue. You show that you reward furthering education and others will do it. You have absolutely no reward for going above and beyond and no one will want to do it. That is why socialism breeds mediocrity and failure.

I agree give me money, but when the money comes from furthering your education I don't see where you have a leg to stand on. You reward employes with wanted benefits (money, gifts, etc) for furthering your education and you have happier employees, happier employers, and better outcomes. It is all about what employees value as rewards for their effort.

and why in the world would I envy someone for something I have? :uhoh21:

i have noticed this though, the people that typically say it shouldn't be on there are the ones that don't have them :)

You are quite mistaken in my case.

My hospital does add all the 'extras' to out badges. I've managed to obscure most of them (as have many of my coworkers), with the exception of the RN.

Specializes in Critical Care.

I went to see my personal physician last week.

It was a bit disconcerting to try to read his name on his lab coat. It stretched around under his armpit and finished in the middle of his back.

Dr. Julius J. Erving IV, MD, FAAFP, BS, ACLS, BLS, incorporated, PA.

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Certification does not make the nurse, it makes the nurse better. Certification = education. Education = knowledge. Knowledge = power. I could go on with that.

Motivate the masses? No, but you reward positive behavior and it will continue. You show that you reward furthering education and others will do it. You have absolutely no reward for going above and beyond and no one will want to do it. That is why socialism breeds mediocrity and failure.

I agree give me money, but when the money comes from furthering your education I don't see where you have a leg to stand on. You reward employes with wanted benefits (money, gifts, etc) for furthering your education and you have happier employees, happier employers, and better outcomes. It is all about what employees value as rewards for their effort.

and why in the world would I envy someone for something I have? :uhoh21:

Don't assume getting certifications makes you "a better caliber of nurse". It might, but you're not considering any factors other than certifications in your judgement of a nurse's "caliber". Your point here is that putting the letters on the nametag is the reward, not rewards for furthering your education. You can get rewards such as raises, gifts, etc. without having your certs on the nametag. And you are incorrect in your assertion that a nurse's desire for further education is dependent on the nametag, or the Starbucks gift card. There are people who, actually take advanced classes to improve in specialized areas for purely non-monetary reasons. If the title is used to identify the nurse as a resource person, yes, that makes sense.

Are you saying that not having your initials on a nametag is socialism which is breeding mediocrity and failure?? :confused: I understand there are some pretty good nurses in socialist countries.

Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

all i ever wanted on my badge were my first name, last initial, and rn. i have never felt the need to advertise my credentials. payroll knew about my b.s.n., m.s.n., and certs and it was reflected in my paycheck. flaunting my stuff hasn't really mattered to me since my girl scout sash was covered in the badges i'd earned. my psych patients just knew my first name and that was all they cared to know about me. of course, if a family member asked about my qualifications, i told them whatever they wanted to know.

sharpeimom:paw::paw:

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