resumes-do you put your license number on them

[tropical bound]

Hello,

Thank you for your advice. I have a question? Are Nurses putting their license number on their resumes? I am hearing conflicting reports. Please advise on your experience?

Thank You-Tropical Bound

[TazziRN, RN]

In CA the license number does not come up when a name is searched. The searcher can enter the license number if it's known, but if it's not entered on the search it doesn't come up.

The driver's license number isn't confidential either, but do you give that out if it's not specifically asked for?

[CRNI-ICU20]

Some states are still living in the Leave-it-To-Beaver-world. I am not comfortable that someone could find me through my nursing lic....ie say, an abusive ex-spouse hell-bent on killing me or my kids....

As a domestic violence victim/survivor, I am very concerned who reads information about me, including insurance companies, etc. Many people can "pose" as working for another company who routinely exchanges information with states, employers, even some municipalities ie, utility companies....and gain ALOT of information on you....where you live, what school your kids attend....etc. When I made my escape, I registered all my utilities under a different name. They don't care as long as the bill gets paid.....I didn't re-register my driver's lic.....and I won't until the divorce is finalized and I am long gone out of state. I don't visit unprotected websites. I changed my bank account numbers and insurance company and password protected all of them. My employer knows to not acknowledge to ANYONE that I work there over the phone, or what my schedule might be, and that goes for my co-workers. They can only respond to a legitimate employment inquiry if requested in writing with a legitimate phone number and return address AFTER I HAVE REVIEWED WHO IT IS. They have been very cooperative on my behalf. In addition, they have allowed me to sequester my car in a "hidden" area where I am not visible when coming to and from the building.....

If my employer is this concerned, why in the heck would I advertise my number anywhere???

I don't even like to use my debit card....I usually pay cash for my daily needs....

Recently I read an identity theft article that stated that the most targeted place for thievery is now hospitals, for lic. numbers and for soc. sec. numbers.....both of patients and employees....well, duh.

Not everyone is your friend, ya know?? crni

[Super Nurf]

I gotta say it again, NO!

If you get hired and they want a copy of your license, or see it in an interview, that's one thing. I'd never do it.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

i often put mine on. it's public information anyway in most states. if a person wants to find it, they can. most states have a public lookup on their state health websites, but the public can also write for this information. all you have to know is a nurse's first and last name most times to get verification that they have a current license. you can get that off the person's name badge. in some states it's a legal requirement to wear a name badge that identifies you. i think that most states have now removed the person's address information which sometimes used to also be reported on those websites. this is public information maintained by public agencies for the protection of the public citizenry. and, if someone wants to file a lawsuit against a nurse i believe they can go to the board of nursing to get your address so they know where to serve you with the papers. we would probably all be surprised at the number of plain citizens that check us out. i have a sister-in-law who goes right to the medical board website to check out the license for any dings on it of any new doctor she gets referred to.

how are you going to know whether the person you are applying for a job with is responsible or negligent about the information you give them anyway whether it is on an application or face to face? let me tell you what a careless employer can do with that information in case you weren't aware. it's up to the employer to verify a person's identity, when they have the person sitting in front of them. they are also supposed to examine the original copy of their nursing license, not a xerox copy. however, some still insist on make a copy of your license and/or driver's license. it is nefarious clerks and others who can get into the files where these copies are kept who take their own xerox copies of them and information about you and go forth onto the unsuspecting public making themselves out as you. now, we have fingerprinting as well to help identify you. it's too bad that the world has come to this, but if you're honest, these things are merely a formality.

as for identity theft, if someone is bent on getting your identifying information, they are going to get it with or without your nursing license. people who do this probably do it as a career and know more about collecting information about us than we do.

[caliotter3]

While it is true that anyone who is interested in getting your information can do so, it does not stand to reason that you don't take precautions, as limited as they may be, to try to prevent your information from going around. One of my supervisors was adamant about not giving out her SSN for id purposes and she told me that she routinely put a false phone number on her checks at stores. She had an unlisted, unpublished phone number and wished to keep it that way. Like me, she also had been harassed over the phone. We used to keep our paychecks in the med cart. That's how I saw other people's addresses, and I'm sure that's how the coworker who started stalking me found out my address unless he followed me one day. You couldn't help but notice when you were going through the pile to give someone their check.

I've had more than one person on my "tail" so to speak. I don't like the fact that they so easily get info about me. I don't like the inconveniences involved, but I still do my best not to advertise my personal info.

Added thought: There is no reason to put your license number on your resume or CV. All you need to do, if you so desire, is to list the names of the licenses and certifications held. I place my license status elsewhere in my resume as a title heading. The actual info is given for verification purposes when I'm hired.

[TazziRN, RN]

i often put mine on. it's public information anyway in most states. if a person wants to find it, they can. most states have a public lookup on their state health websites, but the public can also write for this information. all you have to know is a nurse's first and last name most times to get verification that they have a current license. you can get that off the person's name badge. in some states it's a legal requirement to wear a name badge that identifies you. i think that most states have now removed the person's address information which sometimes used to also be reported on those websites. this is public information maintained by public agencies for the protection of the public citizenry. and, if someone wants to file a lawsuit against a nurse i believe they can go to the board of nursing to get your address so they know where to serve you with the papers. we would probably all be surprised at the number of plain citizens that check us out. i have a sister-in-law who goes right to the medical board website to check out the license for any dings on it of any new doctor she gets referred to.

big difference between finding out if a license is valid and getting the license number itself. not all states give joe blow access to the numbers, ca does not. you can go on the ca bon website and find out if a license is valid using the name only, but unless you already know the license number the site does not give it out. the site also does not give out addresses, only the current city of residence.

[caliotter3]

I know that people can discover your address from the board for legal purposes but I don't agree with the publishing of addresses on websites. Although CA does not give out addresses of nurses on their websites, astonishingly enough, I found the address of someone who got a license as a MFCC. Why that board publishes addresses (if they still do), I don't know. People in this line of work are just as likely as anyone else to develop enemies. Putting addresses on public sites just makes it easy for the enemies. Just my 2 cents.

[neneRN, BSN, RN]

I'm in FL, and the DOH lists name, license number, and address...so if someone wants it, they can get it anyway. As an aside, I was on the DOH site a few months ago trying to find an actual copy of my license to print out (which was not available), but anyway, I found a tab under my name...something to the effect of "view documents" and when I clicked on it, it was a document including all the names of nurses I graduated with AND their SSNs! Turns out this was the actual list the college had sent to the BON listing all students meeting educational requirements for sit pass...not viewable by the public, but viewable by anyone whose name was on the list. Now that's scary!

[caliotter3]

Just for info: I spoke personally with someone from the BVNPT concerning my personal info and the divulging of same quite some time ago. I was told by the representative that anyone holding a CA nursing license can write a letter to their board and request that a "public hold" be placed on their file. This further protects the individual from having their personal info given out. It is still available for legal purposes. This info is not widely disseminated but good to know. It is probably the same in other states as well.

[TazziRN, RN]

Put a public hold on what info?? The only info given out is name and city of residence. Disciplines are public knowledge and I know they won't hide that info, I already tried.

[caliotter3]

Tazzi

I'm just repeating what the representative said to me. Several people, myself included, were having problems with harassment at the time and we were questioning the Board's role in this.

[TazziRN, RN]

Oh, not doubting you at all, just asking if there's something you know that I don't.