Engraving on Littmann

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What do you guys have engraved on your stethoscope? I know this is an item I'll have for many years to come so I'd like RN after my name. ....but I'm not an RN yet. Is it wrong to have it engraved like that? I wish I could add that later.

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I just bought my Littman cardiology III the other day. I had my first and last name engraved on the head. I did not put RN after my name after another user asked the same question and I read some of the responses.

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I had mine engraved with my name & RN. Eventhough I am not one yet, whenever I get down, I look at it to remind me what I am working my butt off for. Who cares what anyone else thinks? DO IT :)

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Specializes in Operating Room.

My husband recently bought me a Littmann Cardiology III as a birthday gift / "congratulations" for getting into nursing school. He had my name engraved on the head and tubing, but that was it. I never really thought about wanting RN engraved, but I'd look at it as being a jinx or something. Like, I didn't want a nurse charm for my charm bracelet until I had the official okay to progress in the fall, and now I'm finally getting it for my birthday this week.

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I got just my name on mine, because I don't want anyone to think am something am not. Also I don't want to jinx myself either. I can always go add RN to the end, whenever I pass my NCLEX.

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In some states you can not put RN or any other title behind your name unless you hold a license for that profession. Just be careful, it could be against the law.

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Specializes in Oncology, Critical Care.

Its actually a pretty serious offense to put RN beside your name if you don't have it. For those people who have gone through nursing school and graduated and earned the title they will attest to the fact that it isn't fair to them. THink of how many people would say they are a doctor or accountant if the laws didn't protect these titles. You should check with your board of nursing, state practice acts and general laws. And if your clinical instructor sees something like that, ill put money on it that they would report it to the department head or call you out on it. Its understood that you are a student nurse, but make no mistake, you are not a registered nurse (yet).

And I don't mean to be "that guy" about this, but it is a serious issue of using titles not earned. You can always have "RN" put on the engraving years after the first one, essentially after you get your RN. and at that time they can touch up the first engraving to make it cleaner again.

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I just got my name on mine. I didn't want RN on it because I'm not one ... same reason why I don't haveanything that says RN. When I graduate and pass the NCLEX I might have it added, but for now my name is good enough.

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Ok, thanks guys. I think I'll wait. :)

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Its actually a pretty serious offense to put RN beside your name if you don't have it. For those people who have gone through nursing school and graduated and earned the title they will attest to the fact that it isn't fair to them. THink of how many people would say they are a doctor or accountant if the laws didn't protect these titles. You should check with your board of nursing, state practice acts and general laws. And if your clinical instructor sees something like that, ill put money on it that they would report it to the department head or call you out on it. Its understood that you are a student nurse, but make no mistake, you are not a registered nurse (yet).

And I don't mean to be "that guy" about this, but it is a serious issue of using titles not earned. You can always have "RN" put on the engraving years after the first one, essentially after you get your RN. and at that time they can touch up the first engraving to make it cleaner again.

Makes sense! Thanks. ?

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Specializes in ICU.

Yeah, I agree with the other posters. RN is a title that is earned and is an important title, you can't go around just putting it on your things thus claiming to be an RN. Wait and have it done later. That being said, I had my first initial and last name engraved into mine. My real name is what will be on all my name tags and such but I go by another name and always have... So I didn't want to put my real name, I never use it.. Buti didn't want to put my nickname and it not match anything else, so I went with first initial.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Well....technically it is against the law in most states to use the title RN when you are not one. As per the ANA (The American Nurses Association.....

Restricting use of the title "nurse" to only those individuals who have fulfilled the requirements for licensure as outlined in each state's nurse practice act is a protection for the public against unethical, unscrupulous, and incompetent practitioners. Nurse practice acts describe entry level qualifications such as education, practice standards and code of conduct for continued privilege to practice nursing. Limiting use of the title "nurse" to only those who have satisfied the licensure requirements ensures the protection the public deserves.

At least 38 states are known to have language in their Nurse Practice Act; either explicit in restricting use of the title "nurse" to only those who are licensed or implicit language restricting use of any words implying the individual is a licensed nurse.....

AR, AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, KS, KY, MD, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NY, NC, ND, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY

For specific language in each state, go to Related Resources As of 4/25/13

Title "Nurse" Protection

With many states that have passed os have legislation that have not been added to this list.......for example....

Rhode Island

Agency 14. Department of Health. Sub-agency 140. Office of Health Professionals Regulation. Chapter 022. Licensing of Nurses and Standards for the Approval of Basic Nursing Education Programs. CRIR 14-140-022. Part II Section.

2.1 It shall be unlawful for any person to practice or offer to practice nursing in this state or use any title, sign, abbreviation, card or device indicating authority to practice nursing unless such person has been duly licensed and registered in accordance with statutory provisions of the Act and the rules and regulations herein, except persons exempt in accordance with section 5-34-31 of the Act. 2.1.1 Professional "registered" nurse title; any person who holds a license to practice as a professional nurse in this state shall have the right to use the title "registered nurse" and the abbreviation "RN

In some states it is criminal......
Utah

Subsection 58-31b-501(1)(a) Nurse Practice Act . Unlawful conduct includes:

(1) using the following titles, names or initials, if the user is not properly licensed or certified under this chapter: (a) nurse; (j) other generally recognized names or titles used in the profession of nursing;

(2) (a) using any other name, title, or initials that would cause a reasonable person to believe the user is licensed or certified. The penalty for using the term "nurse" when not licensed is class B misdemeanor.

So it would probably be best to add it later.
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