How do you sign?

[Mashira]

I am a nursing student in my final semester of nursing school. I am greatly looking forward to finally becoming a nurse. I was wondering how many of you sign your names:

Jane/John Doe, RN, BSN

Is this normal? Is it something big headed students do the first few months and then stop doing? I was just wondering! To me... if an MD signs:

Jane/John Doe, MD

Due to what can be taken as his pride in his degree, why not nurses?! Call me naive, but I'm going to be proud to be a nurse!

[gozojoan]

In the event that there are other nurses in your organization with the same first initial, go with first name, last name, degree then license. Always put your degree first. - they can take away your license, but never your degree

[nursedora]

When I first started in nursing, I'd sign my first initial, last name and my full title, then another nurse started working in the same facility as me, and had similar last name and same first initial, and same title, so it became policy in that facility to sign full name and full title, and it just stuck with me wherever else I've worked.

[BellaDestiny]

first initial, last name, rn... depending on if it's at the beginning of the shift or a quick note at the end as to how legible it is.

[LETRN]

I don't sign RN unless it's on verbal or telephone orders...I don't really see the need to do it on anything else, but that's just me. I'm proud of my BSN, but that would just be overkill

[Janey CNM]

I realize on charts that time of of the essence and hopefully soon we'll all be signing electronically. However, when using professional title, such as on business card, email preset signature, the rule is, always put what is yours forever (earned degree) next to your name. Then add any certifications (which frequently have some updating/renewal features and therefore someday you might not still have that certification) and last, license RN, CRNM, CRNA which at least in MD must be renewed every year. i teach at major SON and ther are lots who do this incorrectly (Jane Doe, RN, PhD) but ignorance is no excuse. Also, to answer the student who started this post, does your school right now have you use identifying initials after your name? Such as SNUM Student Nurse University of M..... Many sites have students from different schools there on many days and it is extremely helpful to see what school a student is from connected to a note.

[mvg rn]

i use my first initial, last name, rn. i also have a bsn but i have never signed bsn after the rn. at my hospital, we also have to print our name first name, last name, rn under all signatures so our manager bought us a stamp to use so it can be read.

[Grandy]

The only time I use Registered Nurse after my name is when I am signing patient notes. If I have a student with me and they are doing some documentation I will usually get them to sign as a student nurse year 2 or whatever year they are in, for example Joe Bloggs SN2 (UTS). I have never used RN when signing my name outside of work, mainly because it would seem weird and the lay public probably would not know what it meant.

[SE_BSN_RN, BSN]

First initial, last name LPN. The only RN's that have a different sig. are the nurse practitioners and they sign first initial, last name, FNP-C. Our BSN nurses sign with RN.

[EghYNcy]

When I graduated my instructor told us that we should put RN.Though we are BSN's we dont need to put all of it..So i signed with first name & last name,RN..But now That I am here in US they dont accept our registry,so I cant use RN,but instead I can put BSN after my name..It your choise...

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Long term care....more regs than the nuclear power industry...dictates in the narcotic book, one's full name and title must be used every time a signature is required. M Smith is NOT acceptable. Mary Smith, RN is.

When I first became certified I would write out all my initials. Now I write my name and RN-C leaving off the others.

[Who?Me?]

I worked hard for my BSN and have always, unless facility policy to not do so, signed my charting with Nurse Sorefeet, RN, BSN. My real name is so long that it all comes out as a glorified scribble anyways so the RN BSN ends up looking the jibberish anyway. My charting is always legible when it has to be written versus computerized. My signature, not so much. :) BTW will sign RN, MSN after I finish grade school!

[sharpeimom]

i worked hard for my bsn and have always, unless facility policy to not do so, signed my charting with nurse sorefeet, rn, bsn. my real name is so long that it all comes out as a glorified scribble anyways so the rn bsn ends up looking the jibberish anyway. my charting is always legible when it has to be written versus computerized. my signature, not so much. :) btw will sign rn, msn after i finish grade school!

grad? i've never felt the need to advertise my credentials because those who need to know, already do know.