How do you feel on displaying your certification credentials on your badge?

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

Nurses, How do you feel on displaying certification credentials on your badge or nurses who displays them on their id/work badge? I am proud of them because they were a lot of hard work and time but I also do not want to seem like a show-off.

Specializes in BSN, RN-BC, NREMT, EMT-P, TCRN.
17 minutes ago, Kooky Korky said:

Why do you think that displaying one's credentials shows a superiority complex?

My question as well! So could one infer from the comment that the display of certs makes someone else possibly feel inferior? NOTE: This is not a dig or a slam. Serious question

1 hour ago, Kooky Korky said:

Why do you think that displaying one's credentials shows a superiority complex?

Just my opinion and probably more reflective of the individual and not the act. I know nurses who have the same background. Generally, the more down to earth ones don't list their credentials, i.e. RN as opposed to RN-BSN, CEN, etc. Again, just my opinion.

Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

Our hospital uses first name and title only. A tag that hangs past your badge for nurse leader or educator but nothing more.

We’re lucky if most patients can even read the tiny print. We don’t even have dummy badges and it’s flipped half the time.

1 Votes
Specializes in Director of Nursing.

We worked hard for that degree, get no extra compensation for it, most places could care less if you have it and or it means nothing to them. We rack up student loan debt ( mine is 60,000) for what? And they don’t even let you put it on your name badge unless you asked the after they made your badge. Don’t we at least deserve to have our credentials if nothing else. I had one nurse say “ do you think you need to prove something by having that on there”. I went from LPN then RN then returned 3 times to finally finish my degree so I could teach (the only place that required me to have that degree). I did the BSN program when it was not online. Drove 1 hour to classes, clinicals, did research papers, wrote proposals, and learned how to assess patients as a doctor would. When you work that hard and owe that much money , and they don’t even acknowledge it... what’s the point! After teaching not one hospital nursing home cared about your stupid degree. Nurses that didn’t have it don’t want to see it even on your badge. My advice don’t waste your money unless your job requires. The pay is no different, and if your boss or director doesn’t have their degree.. well they don’t want to see it or give 2 cents if you have it! TRUE. My best friend is an LPN makes 1.00 less then the RN she works with and has no intention of getting her RN. She is happy where she’s at. No way will she rack up student loan debt even more to get a dollar raise. She’s certified in IV administration, just as good as any RN. Having your BSN makes you feel better that you completed it, but it’s just sad they don’t want to recognize or compensate for it. You can become director of nursing without it. If I had it to do all over again I would have went a few more years to get nurse practitioner. I don’t discourage it, but borrowing from student loans with a total debt of 74,000 to get from LPN to BSN and having 60,000 left to pay is just plain waste of money.

1 Votes
Specializes in Director of Nursing.

Your so right about the name badges. I have been at my job now for 2 months and can’t even get a name badge. After asking 5 times. They can sure print the tiny things up for the staff that got hired after me but will not give me one?? The patients can’t see it anyway and don’t know if your a nurse or a fake person walking in with whatever it says on that tiny thing. Sorry so negative but you must ask yourself what’s the problem.

Specializes in Director of Nursing.
On 10/27/2019 at 4:19 PM, Kooky Korky said:

Why do you think that displaying one's credentials shows a superiority complex?

Because others who don’t have it, can’t handle you having it. So they form their opinions as to why you think it means anything. We don’t think we are better than others(at least I don’t) obviously the place you work at doesn’t think that either. We want it there because we worked for it and if you have a problem with it..that’s all on you and your insecurities. We are not feeling insecure by having it on our name badge to prove we are better than you. We do deserve at least minimal our credentials we earned and are paying out the you know what for it. For nothing???

Specializes in Med Surg, Tele, PH, CM.

I left the bedside long before I began collecting degrees and certifications. I also have an aversion to adding my alphabet soup to my name badge, so mine simply reads "RN". That is most important to me. I do have business cards, however (I am a Case Manager), that lists my degrees and certifications.

2 Votes
Specializes in Director of Nursing.

Patients don’t know what it means anyway. But you earned it! I never had mine put on their until I got into management. When I was teaching in colleges I had to have it on my badge. But even if you are a floor nurse don’t let anyone take what you earned. The only person who really matters is the man above who loves us no matter who we are. So not putting it on there maybe means your a better person because you have nothing to prove to anyone. But in my opinion it’s all about them and their perceptions, not about you in trying to prove anything.

1 Votes
Specializes in BSN, RN-BC, NREMT, EMT-P, TCRN.
19 hours ago, Nurses-give said:

We worked hard for that degree, get no extra compensation for it, most places could care less if you have it and or it means nothing to them. We rack up student loan debt ( mine is 60,000) for what? And they don’t even let you put it on your name badge unless you asked the after they made your badge. Don’t we at least deserve to have our credentials if nothing else. I had one nurse say “ do you think you need to prove something by having that on there”. I went from LPN then RN then returned 3 times to finally finish my degree so I could teach (the only place that required me to have that degree). I did the BSN program when it was not online. Drove 1 hour to classes, clinicals, did research papers, wrote proposals, and learned how to assess patients as a doctor would. When you work that hard and owe that much money , and they don’t even acknowledge it... what’s the point! After teaching not one hospital nursing home cared about your stupid degree. Nurses that didn’t have it don’t want to see it even on your badge. My advice don’t waste your money unless your job requires. The pay is no different, and if your boss or director doesn’t have their degree.. well they don’t want to see it or give 2 cents if you have it! TRUE. My best friend is an LPN makes 1.00 less then the RN she works with and has no intention of getting her RN. She is happy where she’s at. No way will she rack up student loan debt even more to get a dollar raise. She’s certified in IV administration, just as good as any RN. Having your BSN makes you feel better that you completed it, but it’s just sad they don’t want to recognize or compensate for it. You can become director of nursing without it. If I had it to do all over again I would have went a few more years to get nurse practitioner. I don’t discourage it, but borrowing from student loans with a total debt of 74,000 to get from LPN to BSN and having 60,000 left to pay is just plain waste of money.

Unfortunately, hospitals are requiring BSNs. All of our area hospitals will hire ASNs, but you must be actively enrolled in a BSN program within 1 year of hire except for our local HCA hospitals. Then you must have your BSN within 3, 5, 6 years respectively; Baptist, Mayo, UF Health in Jacksonville. My former hospital, Memorial Jacksonville, cut all the LPNs loose.

19 hours ago, Nurses-give said:

Because others who don’t have it, can’t handle you having it. So they form their opinions as to why you think it means anything. We don’t think we are better than others(at least I don’t) obviously the place you work at doesn’t think that either. We want it there because we worked for it and if you have a problem with it..that’s all on you and your insecurities. We are not feeling insecure by having it on our name badge to prove we are better than you. We do deserve at least minimal our credentials we earned and are paying out the you know what for it. For nothing???

Concur!!!!!!

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