Is putting 'BSN' on badge snobbish?

Nurses General Nursing

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What do you think about having 'BSN' put on your badge? My hospital never used to automatically put it on nurses' badges. Now, the new grads with BSNs have that automatically printed on. Other BSNs have decided to have this credential printed on their badges. It never made a difference to me but some people make a big deal about it. I'm trying to decide if I want to get my BSN credential printed on my badge. I heard one nurse say that it's snobbish. The nurse that said that was an LPN.

Specializes in Psych, EMS.

I am very proud of my BSN. In fact, I am more proud of being an accelerated-BSN grad than I am of being an RN. However, you will only see "RN" behind my name. As you can see from this thread...there are plenty of politics, defensiveness, inferiority/superiority complexes, etc. associated with this topic. I just chuckle at the drama and avoid inadvertendly feuling it with my stupid nametag.

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Interesting food for thought... I'm thinking BS... could be chemistry then sure... a teaching degree... we do that all shift.... Bachelor of Arts in underwater basket weaving... we'd have to haggle over that one:lol2: If you could tie any degree into how we care for patients... that is appropriate.... marine biology.... we'd have to do rock paper scissors.

If you looked at the link I posted, it appears that coursework in liberal arts and so on may lead to improved critical thinking, therefore a degree in an unrelated subject may be more helpful overall than you would think.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I never put my BSN on my badge as it is an entry-level degree. However, I did start putting my degree on my badge after I got my MSN and then my Phd to let people know that I had the advanced education. (I just list the highest degree, not all of them, of course.) As I work in a hospital, the PhD on the badge starts some interesting conversations and opens up opportunities to education people who don't know that nurses can be educated at the doctoral level.

I work in an informal environment in which we tend to use our first names only. So the badge is the only place my PhD or my specialty certification is acknowledged or evident at work.

llg, PhD, RN-BC

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

I only use my BS when I am writing professional letters, otherwise I dont bother.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.
If you looked at the link I posted, it appears that coursework in liberal arts and so on may lead to improved critical thinking, therefore a degree in an unrelated subject may be more helpful overall than you would think.

Looked at it, great one... but after a few tired moments I was so busy agreeing that I didn't finish. I still might have to banter an arts degree, but bottom line... as much as I thought liberal arts requirements didn't effect my critically ill pt. care, I still learned. That is what matters, the continued degree keeps me from being stagnant in what I do and how I think. Thanks for keeping my snarkyness in check:D

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Specializes in NICU.

Not snobbish at all. To each his own. If someone wants to put it there it's their right and they can do it if they want. Sometimes we get too worried about what someone else is doing when it has nothing to do with us. If Sandy next to me has BSN on her i.d it's not going to affect my life, the care I give, etc. That's her choice. Let people do what they want and stop worrying so much about things that don't directly affect you or your patients.

Oh and LPN was probably just jealous. If she had a BSN I doubt she'd be saying the same thing.

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is it no wonder we can't get more people into the profession, look at all the disagreement over something that the bottome line is----WHAT WE DO, we all do the same thing in caring for patients,,,,if i am in the hospital or where ever, i just hope i get a nurse that cares more about taking care of me than what he/she writes after her name!!!!!!!

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

I just wanted to add, that we have two, yes two PHD nurses on staff. I have known them for 14 years..... I am so proud of them and what they bring to our facility and advancement of patient care.

I could never, ever imagine saying... "remove that PHD from your badge, you're just being a snob".

What more can you say to that? How is that any different... really? That sappy saying... and I hate them... but "together, we make a difference". That's what it's all about..

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

Not at all.

You've earned it.

And if you have MSN, PhD.

I say GO FOR IT.

Those are creds that are earned and anyone and everyone can earn them should they want to,

Let the others be jealous. Those are THEIR issues.

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Dude, I spent an extra 2.5 years in school and an extra $20K getting my BSN...darn skippy I put it on my badge. If that threatens another nurse or makes them feel belittled in some way, that's their problem.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.
is it no wonder we can't get more people into the profession, look at all the disagreement over something that the bottome line is----WHAT WE DO, we all do the same thing in caring for patients,,,,if i am in the hospital or where ever, i just hope i get a nurse that cares more about taking care of me than what he/she writes after her name!!!!!!!

Yes we are ALL VALUABLE to our patients, none more than others but with advanced degrees other ideas, experiences and learning knowledge is added to our care. Advanced degrees IMPROVE our patient care, those with them may not provide better bedside care, but it is the planning, committees, policy changes and EVIDENCED BASED PRACTICE... that our advanced degree nurses make change. Not at bedside, but they sure can add some great ideas to a complex situation.

It's not me against you... it's all of us together... and I damn sure want those that are the leaders in change or simply have advanced knowledge to be recognized. What my MSN peer does in meetings to change policy is not "we do the same thing". Friend you and I, possibly without a BSN, MSN or PHD, do NOT, NOT do the same thing when it comes to effecting better care for our patients.

There, I rely on my experts, question them constantly, pick their brains and learn and grow each shift.... it is NOT THE SAME. I DO, DO lack their knowlege and expertise... I'm perfectly comfortable knowing that and using them to improve my patient care.

Because of what advanced degree nurses bring to our table, they dang sure have earned the simple 'KUDOS" of having a few letters on a badge. Remember I'm an ADN, few classes from BSN... but others still have so much more to offer than me.... and I 'm OK with that.

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

Just like you do not like being made less by just having your ASN vs your BSN...we do not like our degree made less by ASN nurses telling us that we just went to school longer. We didn't just go to school longer...

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