When do you sign RN?

jade-athyst · Nov 13, 2006

I find it strange your instructors did not inform you that signing RN after your name without a license was improper, unethical, unprofessional, and could be illegal. Likewise, I only use RN in a professional capacity. Has so much changed in over 26 years? I take pride in the title of RN and,hopefully, treat the title with respect.

Ummm, I think she said she has a license. Geeez:mad:

Jabramac · Nov 13, 2006

Likewise, I only use RN in a professional capacity. Has so much changed in over 26 years? I take pride in the title of RN and,hopefully, treat the title with respect.

Maybe if we take so much pride in our hard earned title of RN we should be using it all over. I have known of many doctors who sign there name with either Dr. or MD. Likewise many military people sign their checks with Cpt. and such. Maybe if we showed everyone how proud we are to be nurses by signing it everywhere that others would gain more respect for us as well.

NCVegRN · Nov 13, 2006

Ummm, I think she said she has a license. Geeez:mad:

Thank you! I said in my original post "until I got my license about a month ago".

NCVegRN · Nov 13, 2006

Maybe if we take so much pride in our hard earned title of RN we should be using it all over. I have known of many doctors who sign there name with either Dr. or MD. Likewise many military people sign their checks with Cpt. and such. Maybe if we showed everyone how proud we are to be nurses by signing it everywhere that others would gain more respect for us as well.

Yes, that's what I was thinking also. I am very into promoting the professionalism of nursing. I am just not sure what I think about using RN outside of the healthcare facility. But it seems like something that could positively impact our image.

TazziRN, RN · Nov 13, 2006

I usually have very nice penmanship, but since I have beceome a nurse my signature is disgusting! Can't help it though when you are signing your name a million times a day :)

HA! Me too! I used to win penmanship contests in grade school. Now sometimes I can't even read my own writing! Especially at the end of a busy day when I've spent much of it charting.

I'm so used to signing A. Brat, RN at work that I've made A. Brat my official signature. It's hard for me to sign my whole name now.

ERNP · Nov 13, 2006

I don't know that there is any reason that you couldn't sign your checks that way if you wanted. Some people do put RN on their checks and sign that way. It wouldn't be against the law, since you are licensed there is no misrepresentation.

After being recognized in Walmart after work one morning by a woman who said, "Hey you took care of me in the ER. Now tell me again what PID is." I try to avoid anything that would reveal my identity in public and have at times considered a disguise. Just goes with the territory I guess.

I also will not allow my last name on my badge. There was one place I worked that required we have our last names on our badges in ER. After an inappropriate phone call from a recently treated patient, I covered mine with tape.

But I digress.....

banditrn · Nov 13, 2006

Well, I don't feel bad, then, to hear that you all do it too - sign your RN at the grocery store, Walmart, etc.:chuckle

Yes, OP, you can be proud of your RN - but soon enough you'll be tired of signing it over and over and over and ........ well, you get the point. Good luck too you.

banditrn · Nov 13, 2006

I don't know that there is any reason that you couldn't sign your checks that way if you wanted. Some people do put RN on their checks and sign that way. It wouldn't be against the law, since you are licensed there is no misrepresentation.
After being recognized in Walmart after work one morning by a woman who said, "Hey you took care of me in the ER. Now tell me again what PID is." I try to avoid anything that would reveal my identity in public and have at times considered a disguise. Just goes with the territory I guess.
I also will not allow my last name on my badge. There was one place I worked that required we have our last names on our badges in ER. After an inappropriate phone call from a recently treated patient, I covered mine with tape.
But I digress.....

ERNP - in the last hospital I worked in the last name wasn't required if you worked in ER, ICU, or Psych. I never worked in ER, but worked in ICU, and worked for a brief time PRN in Psych.

I found that working in the ICU, a lot of the 'talkers' would ask my last name and where I lived, just because I spent so much time with them. Most of the time I gave very general answers - my last name is pretty common, and I never felt that they were asking in a threatening way. After awhile I think you develope a sense of who you don't want to tell anything to.

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Nov 13, 2006

This is why I tell no one and hope no one recognizes me as a nurse. I was in the store in my scrubs one day with my name tag on and some woman said "oh your a nurse well i got this bump on my back here do you know what I should do about it". I politely said " I think if I were you I would make and appointment with your Doctor and have it checked out". She replied "well your a nurse right, cant you just tell me what it is"!!!!! UHHH No... I know it's part of the territory but I do no further advertising on the subject...

After being recognized in Walmart after work one morning by a woman who said, "Hey you took care of me in the ER. Now tell me again what PID is." I try to avoid anything that would reveal my identity in public and have at times considered a disguise. Just goes with the territory I guess.

lauralassie · Nov 13, 2006

I never thought about this until I got my license about a month ago, but when is it appropriate to sign RN after your name? This never came up in school and I couldn't find anything online. Is there protocol? Obviously I would use it at work and with professional organizations, but where else do you use it? I am proud of earning my license, but don't want to put it all over the place where it doesn't fit.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

The funny side of this is I've found my self signing thank you cards, the papers for the kids school etc..with RN after my name. But , then I've also answered the phone, ER or ICU...may I help you.? Oh, well , guess I'm going nuts ! :chuckle