How can I put my credentials on a nametag without writing a book?

PAERRN20 · Oct 10, 2009

I would put your highest degree, a specialty certification, and then RN. That is more than enough. I don't have BSN, RN on my badge, but I would like to and I feel that degree, RN is sufficient and won't confuse patients.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2009

You're way ahead of yourself.

Bortaz, MSN, RN · Oct 11, 2009

You're way ahead of yourself.

LOL, for sure.

NotFlo · Oct 11, 2009

Oh my goodness, I wouldn't even worry or think about this yet!

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2009

When you get past the entrance/admit reqs to nursing and GET IN. AND PASS RN school AND clinical. Pass NCLEX, get some experience....

Ask again.

noahsmama · Oct 11, 2009

I plan to get the following degrees / credentials: BSN, RN, CNOR, CRNFA, DNP, ACPNP.
How can I shorten this so as to not confuse my patients beyond belief? Since my main role will be as a nurse practitioner / first assistant, I was thinking that just "NP First Assistant" would be good enough. What do you guys think?

Oh honestly, how many patients do you think understand ANY of those abbreviations? I'd be willing to bet 99% of our patients have no idea what any of those abbreviations stand for, except "RN". Before I went to nursing school, I had no idea that some RNs have a bachelor's degree and that others have an associate degree, and frankly, I didn't care about that then and I don't care about it now either. I have a BSN, and also a PhD (not in nursing, in a different field), and neither of those appear on my nametag. What appears on my name tag is the one and only abbreviation that matters, and that's "RN".

If you don't want to confuse your patients, I recommend putting "RN" only after your name, until and unless you eventually do become an advance practice nurse, in which case I recommend choosing the one advance practice field in which you are working, and putting those initials only after your name.

Going to school is not about putting letters after your name, it's about learning how to do a job and do it well. If you do it well, your patients will not care what letters you can legally put after your name.

Besides, 50% of the time, your name tag will be flipped over and they won't be able to read it anyway :chuckle

DolceVita, ADN, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2009

Sigh...gimme a break!

Glad you have aspirations but get the RN first then worry about the rest if and when you achieve them.

AOx1 · Oct 11, 2009

I would limit it to your main area of practice. I am currently working on my doctorate, but I am an RN just like anyone else who has passed NCLEX. While I am pleased that I am continuing my education, the addition of my doctorate does not make me a superior nurse, just one who has more degrees. And more debt :)

As mentioned, your average patient won't recognize any of this. What they do recognize is expertise and compassion (most of them anyway!)

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2009

They can also see the difference between those nurses "who know what they're doing" or "know everything about theory, but no clinical sense."

Don't be the latter.

Otessa, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2009

I am an RN-C, AS, BSN and soon to be MSN

All I will have on my nametag is RN.

otessa

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Oct 11, 2009

I think putting alphabet soup on one's name badge demonstrates insecurity at best, and snobbery at worst. But then, so does chewing up and spitting out newcomers to our profession.:smiley_ab