I want to change my name.....

RheatherN, ASN, RN, EMT-P · Oct 28, 2007

i have been married and divorced since i started my schooling career. i had no problem at all, but there are 2 other girls in my class that have had major problems. One girl just got married, half her stuff is changed and other half isnt. another girl has been married for like a year and still havnt done it. partly her own dang fault for not f/u on it, but still. dont know if that helped at all, but GL anyhow!! lol

-H-

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2007

My advice is to leave things in your maiden name. It's easier later to explain why your school records are in your maiden name. I've had problems collecting school transcripts because some are in my maiden name and some are in my married name and the school I'm sending them to sometimes can't "get" it. Remember, Murphy's Law pretty much guarantees that you will be dealing with dum-dum clerks at some of the future colleges and jobs you will applying to and processing your applications who won't even think about the possibility that you might have records in a maiden name.

Once you are married you also have to notify Social Security (did you remember that?) because your tax records are affected by your name change--forever.

As for your nursing license. . .when you apply to take the NCLEX, then you can use your married name. Be aware that in most states, to change your surname on your nursing license for any reason (marriage, divorce) you must supply a certified copy of a marriage certificate or divorce decree. I don't want to be negative about this, but things change. After my divorce I didn't want to use my husband's last name anymore and it was a royal pain in the orifice to get everything changed back to my maiden name and it still causes problems, particularly with the IRS and Social Security. If I had to do it all over again, I would have just kept everything in my maiden name. I think that many female docs keep their licenses in their maiden names. You might ask a few who are friendly and approachable about this. It also helps keep your confidentiality if you are married.

APBT mom, LPN, RN · Oct 28, 2007

First off congratulations. I also got married while I was in one school and applying for another. I just went to student services and spoke with an advisor. She gave me a paper that was used for address changes that you fill out with your old information and new information. Just make sure that you bring a notarized copy or the original marriage license because they need to see that before they can change your name even if your ss card and dr license already have the name change. I was told that it would be in the system after three days and when I checked it was. They are also good at losing everything that you hand them especially financial aid so I started writing everone's name down that I spoke with and if it happened repeatedly I would let the school know (we have comment boxes for wait time and how we were treated) and magically it would stop.

PsychNurseWannaBe, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2007

My friend got her financial aid all screwed up because of the name change.

jemommyRN · Oct 29, 2007

My friend got her financial aid all screwed up because of the name change.

I didn't even think about this part. I am already receiving financial aid. Lord knows I don't want my last semester screwed because of something so simple. I'll probably leave everything in my maiden name until I am completely finished with school.

Thanks for all of the replies.

justme1972 · Oct 29, 2007

I think that many female docs keep their licenses in their maiden names. You might ask a few who are friendly and approachable about this. It also helps keep your confidentiality if you are married.

You are absolutely right on this. A friend of mine who graduated from medical school about 7 years ago said that this was a huge recommendation when they are in school, because they are licensed by SO many different boards, so many different memberships, certifications, and the list goes on and on.

When she sends us mail, Christmas cards, and when she introduces herself to friends, she uses her married name, but for her practice and anything else that is legal, she uses her maiden name.

MB37 · Oct 29, 2007

I've been married for 2.5 years, and didn't get everything switched over to my married name until 6 months ago. I had forgotten to do social security, and needed to get that switched around so I could apply for financial aid and do my taxes (since my work was writing checks to my married name). You don't have to do it right away, but make sure you change everything at once if you're going to do it at all. I applied to the school I'm going to for nursing under my married name, and put my maiden name in the "names you have used in the past" section of the application. I had other problems getting records sent over here, but not due to my name change so far as I know.

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Oct 29, 2007

Whoops!

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Oct 29, 2007

All thumbs today!!!

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Oct 29, 2007

I got married in college (though not nursing school) and got everything changed. If I remember correctly, getting my social security number and driver's license was harder than getting my name changed at school. (And that was just a matter of taking this piece of paper here, that one there).

Here's where the name business got interesting for me. I always went by my middle name. So, when I got married, I started using my Middle name, Maiden name, Married name; no hyphen.

No problems with getting my driver's license and SS card done this way. I went to nursing school (three different times, in fact) and got both an LPN license and an RN license with my name that way. This was in Georgia, my home state.

When I was in graduate school, I got a South Carolina nursing license in order to do clinicals there.

Imagine my surprise when it came with my First Name, Middle Name, Married Name on it!

Oops, I thought, they made a mistake.

I called them. Nope, not a mistake. This was the name on my birth certificate so this was the name they used. They absolutely did not care that this was NOT the name on my driver's license, social security card, or GA nursing license! Nope, they claimed they were using my "legal name" and that I'd have to go to court to get it changed!! (I consulted a lawyer who said they were wrong, my legal name is the name I've used since I got married.

So, I carried a nursing license with a name on it that I could not have proved was me if I'd had to, since nothing else had that name on it!!

When I got my Texas license, they used the exact same name that Georgia had used, no problems at all.

I ended up living in South Carolina for a year; guess what was on my driver's license there?? The same name that was on my Texas and Georgia nursing licenses!!!

Anyway, sorry to hijack the thread.

Back to the OP's question: I've known people who did both and it seems to work either way!

jemommyRN · Nov 2, 2007

You are absolutely right on this. A friend of mine who graduated from medical school about 7 years ago said that this was a huge recommendation when they are in school, because they are licensed by SO many different boards, so many different memberships, certifications, and the list goes on and on.
When she sends us mail, Christmas cards, and when she introduces herself to friends, she uses her married name, but for her practice and anything else that is legal, she uses her maiden name.

Okay, so is it legal to get a state ID in my married name (keeping my license in my maiden name) and using my maiden name for professional purposes. What do you think? Thanks for all of the responses.