BSN RN & Certifications not allowed on my badge: I am outraged!

[Simba2241]

After much hard work, dedication, and sacrifice I obtained my BSN RN in 2004. Today I walked out of an orientation at a major Raleigh, NC hospital because I was told why I asked why RN's could not proudly display their education and credentials "WE do not recognize titles here. There are no titles" I was outraged and hurt. In educating the orientation administrative person (she was not a nurse) I explained that having to meet strict criteria for certification and education levels are not a title! She looked annoyed. SO I left.

Education and credentials are not easily obtained. They are representations of a RN's commitment to his/her craft. They are indications of the sacrifice and hard work she/ he has put in to go the extra mile. I am in no way negating an ADN. ON the contrary, ADN's make just as much of a sacrifice (However...in all honesty.... you will never hear an ADN voicing concern about not being able to display her ADN...sorry if I have offended any ADN's but the truth is the truth!).

When I handed HR my resignation letter and explained why I am resigning after only 2 days of orientation she looked annoyed and asked : "What does it matter. All of you are RN's and you all do the same thing" I just looked at her and shook my head.

I cannot understand an organization that BANS your right to display your hard work. What right does that organization have?

Needless to say I left another hospital for a minor pay increase at this facility. I regret that decision. I told HR I would rather tolerate a few cents less and have the HARD EARNED RIGHT TO DIAPLY MY CREDNTIALS than to work for an organization who tells me I CAN NOT DISPLAY MY CREDENTIALS>

Shame on you Wake Med! You will never achieve magnet status if you continue to disregard the hard work of your RN's!

Sandra BSN RN

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

There is and has NEVER been a "hard road of employment for me" As a matter of fact my road of employment has been extremely well paved. I have had great opportunites and chosen for many special projects that I earned competed very heavily for. Was I to continue with an oprganization even though I DO NOT believe in their way of doing things?? I have too much integrity and honesty! It would have been awful for me to continue with orientation knowing that I resent their way of nurse recognition. As for employers....my destiny has already been carved out by God......it is up to me to listen to the inner voice (we all have the inner voice) and to know that faith will keep you long before any employer! Let me add....my professors taught us that there will be many in nursing who will try to convince you that you "must stay in a job you dislike for the good of nursing becasue they are afraid to take a chance"......How many of you on this site have remained in a position you did not care for?

how would even know you would not like that job ? you didn't even give them a chance. i think you should find a job that let's you display BSN, if thats what you want. we have all had jobs that we disliked, i don't stay long at jobs i dislike.... i enjoy the patients at any job , i have had to make do and accept things about a job i dislike , but i try to find good in the job. my job now is not perfect, and there are things i dislike about it.... but i go there and make the best of it. life is about give and take.

if all you require about a job you find is having BSN on your badge , well you should have no trouble finding a job. but nursing is not about the letters you have after your name, it's about the pt care you give . helping a person at their worst moment, thats what it's about... those pt's don't care if you have BSN after your name, they just want to feel better.

most of them have no idea what BSN is , and co workers sure don't care what you have on your badge.

[sunray12]

Let me add....my professors taught us that there will be many in nursing who will try to convince you that you "must stay in a job you dislike for the good of nursing becasue they are afraid to take a chance"......How many of you on this site have remained in a position you did not care for?

I'll be the first to agree with you that you don't have to stay in a job you don't like. Having that professional license means that you have options. On the other hand I can't see leaving a job (and burning a bridge to boot) over the issue you just described. If you were being underpaid, harassed, otherwise discriminated against, or witness to malfeasance on the part of the institution, etc., ... that's one thing. If the badge issue was the only issue - I don't see how that matters.

I am not a nurse yet, but I have some nice credentials. I've also had a decent career based on those credens. But I have never in my working life flashed them and have no plans to flash my BSN. If its institutional policy to put the degree on the badge, fine - if not - it's not something I would spend a second fighting over.

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

Does anyone here read???

http://www.oncc.org/publications/pdf/credential.pdf

Not only does it state "Include your credentials on your name badge, if permitted" but the pamphlet makes no inference whatsoever about promoting academic degrees as credentials. It's all about certification in oncology nursing. But I have already stated in a prior post that credentials (i.e., certifications) should be OK on badges as long as they are appropriate for the specialty one is working in.

[Reno1978, BSN, RN]

Does anyone here read???

http://www.oncc.org/publications/pdf/credential.pdf

Do you read? That document says, "Include your credentials on your name badge, if permitted"

I not only read, but I comprehend, and although this document advises you to wear your credential, it lists multiple ways in which you may accomplish this. There are alternatives to presenting your credentials if your employer will not do it for you on your name badge, such as wearing a credential pin.

Personally, while I appreciate that my employer allows us to include academic degree and credential achievements on our name badges, I'm much more concerned with providing excellent care to my patients than I am making sure that everyone understands how hard my struggle was to get where I am today.

[kanzi monkey]

My institution only hires RNs with a BSN or more. But our badges say RN since that is the only credential necessary to show that we are licensed to do our jobs. I don't have a problem with that at all. As a patient, I only care to know what the profession is of the person who is taking care of me--a nurse, a doctor, an anesthesiologist, physical therapist, etc. I don't need to know their educational background--I assume they have met the standards of the institution. If your hospital has excellent standards, then the fact that you are a part of it shows you are qualified to fit the role. That's why we invest the time in money into college--to do our jobs and maintain as high of a standard of care as possibe. Not to wear our degrees.

However, I have no problem putting my education credentials on a resume. And hanging diplomas on office walls seems totally appropriate, though I don't have an office.

[Simba2241]

Let me make this clear: ...there are many WHO CAN RUN CIRCLES AROUND MANY BSN and MSN grads.....I am not negating this fact! As a result, their accomplishments should also be recognized! As a matter of fact, I think it is unfortunate that many ADNs can not enter certain job fields such as CWOCN and many many many others UNLESS he/she is a BSN. Likewise if the ADN is as passionate about wound nursing perhaps it will motivate him/her to do whatever it takes to obtain her CWOCN.

My ENTIRE POINT is whatever hard work you have achieved you should be allowed to display it and YES IT IS A DEAL BREAKER FOR ME! Again...would we be having this discussion if I were a soldier with a uniform proudly displaying my merits, badges, acheivements etc?????? OF course not. As for the BSN who asked that question....that would have been a great opportunity to EDUCATE her (it is kinda scary...lol) We can ALL learn form each other. Just because my conviction and passion is stronger in some areas than yours does not negate my passion.

[cloister]

Wow. You are certainly.....passionate.

Credenetials are kind of fun, I'll admit. I've got my RN,BSN, CCRN and Advanced Clinicial creds all strung out on the front of my name badge. Of course, it's in about a 6 point font, so no one can actually read the damn thing, but hey, I know they're there, right in front of the big blue badge that says "RN" in 72 point font.

Got my CCRN in 1997 - was feeling pretty pleased with myself the day I got my results. Went to work that night, a code was called, and to my complete embarrasment, I realized I didn't know how to open the crash cart. I had the grace to be able to laugh at myself, but it was humbling, no doubt. Kind of had to wonder if I had been educated beyond my intelligence...............

Good luck to you in your new job.

[Batman24]

A RN is a RN. That's awesome you have your BSN and if you are getting a few extra dollars for that your employer is indeed acknowledging your education.Your employer however prefers your name badges to all have RN on them which is their call. It's also your call not to work there if you feel so strongly about it.

[Simba2241]

Well the American Nurse Credentialling Center CARES! As a matter of fact...magnet status is reflected in the number of BSN...credentialed nurses! Does anyone here read or subscribe to nursing journals?

[Simba2241]

Thank you...and thanx for the laugh...not being able to opne the code cart....it has happened to all of us.

[leslie :-D]

simba, i find it amusing that you left a magnet hospital (who encourages/requires the use of titles) for a higher paying, non-magnet facility.

if magnet status truly recognized the worth of these titles, you'd think they'd be the higher paying facility.

interesting.

leslie

[Simba2241]

You are right and that was my DUMB mistake. I left a magnet hospital never realizing what so many nurses were trying to tell me: that eventually the intrinsic benefits far outweigh the money. I learned an important lesson....there are more important things than money....there is recognition of hard work...excellence.....quality improvements..... nursing shared goverance........ENCOURAGEMENT from leadership to strive harder and reach new grounds.....

I have learned that Magnet faciliti es WANT TO REMAIN MAGNET facilties as a result there is a profound comittment to their nurses...I see this now! I made a mistake by leaving for a few cents more....