Is it RN,BSN or BSN,RN

kakamegamama · Feb 10, 2011

OP--I hope you haven't decided that a lot of the responders are jerks. Man...... Anywhoo-----congratulations on your years of hard work. You have a right to be proud of your accomplishment. I would suggest though, that you sign your documentation with RN. After awhile you may find that BSN RN gets too cumbersome & time constraining. Just a thought.

To the posters who appeared to be extra sensitive to the ADN/DIP vs BSN thing--good grief! Get the chip off your shoulder. There are enough people who seek to destroy the profession from "out there", that we don't need to help them along. The OP was just asking a question, not bragging nor saying she was better than others who don't have a BSN.

ok2bout · Feb 17, 2011

:redbeathe My hospital does not care how you officially list your name. Some write is as John Doe, RN, BSN while other write is as John Doe, BSN, RN. Most list their certifications afterwards, such as John Doe, RN, BSN, CEN. I did notice a comment earlier about many nurses that go back and get their BSN is so that they eventually will end up behind a desk in an administrative position. My hospital encourages and reimburses up to 90 percent for those nurses who pursue their BSN. Many hospitals are now requiring nurses to have a BSN and there has been talk for many years that this become the standard. Personally I believe you do not need to have your BSN to be a great nurse, although I must admit that I learned alot when I went through my bachelors program. If you are content with not having a BSN, then I say continue what you are doing and be proud of the fact that you are a RN. One last note, stopped being so mean to one another. As nurses, we should set a high standard and treat each other with the highest professionalism.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Feb 17, 2011

They would think we were loony :) where I work if we signed with RN, BSN. No one does that at my facility. I guess because if you have the title RN, everyone knows you have a BSN (because it's mandatory). Even on my name tag, it just reads, "Joanna, Registered Nurse". No last name even. I like that.

mentalhealthRN · Feb 17, 2011

It really irks me as well for when those who choose to sign with RN, BSN are called "pretensious". How is being proud of what you worked hard for pretensious???? And saying that those who chose to earn their BSN only want to manage or work in admin is just plain ignorant. I am in NY and here those with a BSN write it RN, BSN. I am wondering if it varies by state. Personally I sometimes write both and sometimes don't. I plan on starting my masters soon to be a LMHC and wonder how I will sign then. RN, BSN, LMHC or RN, LMHC. Im thinking the masters in mental health counseling negates the BSN.

OP-- ignore the posts from the ignorant folks here. A nurse is a nurse yes but when you work hard to get additional education there is nothing wrong with being proud of it. So either is correct.

UWRN07 · Mar 24, 2011

When I was in my last semester of Nursing school one of my Profs had a brief commentary in one of her lectures about how us nurses should sign our credentials. She told us that we should always sign our highest level of education first, then credentials, then special certification. She also made it a point to tell us NO PERIODS. Ha-Ha, I loved her! As in previous posts, the idea is that they can't take your degree from you but they can take your RN (hopefully none of us will ever have to worry about that though).

I have to admit that it does drive me crazy because it really makes us look less professional. Like other members of the medical profession are saying, "Look at those dumb nurses...they don't even know how to sign their own names!" Why can't the ANA just come out with a position statement or something and put an end to this whole argument!

That's what I think anyway. GO BADGERS!

TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP · Mar 25, 2011

On the floor when you're signing documentation, only the RN or APN/APRN matters, since that's what you're practicing on - you can add in other stuff if you'd like, but you can stop with RN or APN/APRN and be just fine.

As for official correspondence, resumes, business cards, etc, it does go Academic Degree, License, Certification. There's no need for an ANA position on it - it's the accepted rule everywhere, though it seems like half of nursing lives in ignorance of it.

linearthinker, DNP, RN · Mar 25, 2011

You could be like me and sign your name so that no one can read it anyway. The only thing you can make out in my signature is the first initial of my first name. The rest of it is just a scribble, so you would have no way of knowing what the loops at the end are supposed to be!

makinjellow · Jun 18, 2011

I just graduated with my BSN and am glad that I did it this way. I am not hugely proud of being a BSN prepared nurse, however I do know that most hospitals are requiring that associates degree nurses have to get their BSN within a specified time period, 5-10years. They were trying to instill legislation requiring that nurses all be BSN's for several reasons, but also for "professionalism". Associates degree programs are now about 3 years and almost as expensive as a bachelor's, in some schools it is the same amount as a bachelor's and you will be forced in many places to pursue your Bachelor's anyhow, usually tuition is reimbursed, though. Also, BSN's usually have preference for hiring because of this added expense. If you want to move on in your education it is much easier without taking an added step before your masters. Also, they are close to putting legislation in place to require APRN's to have a doctoral level degree.

It really doesn't matter to me if you are an associates degree nurse or a BSN. We made different choices to get to a RN, that's it. I know a lot of Associates programs drill it into their students heads that you don't need a BSN because it's just for people who want to become "administration" and not do bedside nursing. This seems to create a divide in some nurses heads between us. I am a BSN, RN but I could care less, if I need help and I can choose between a ADN and BSN RN, I will look to whomever is the better mentor.

I didn't come into nursing because I wanted to sit behind a desk all day- far from it. I will chart standing up in the patient's room before a nurses station. I love the foundation of nursing: caring. :nurse:

Also, I will be signing only with my name and RN, but in my resume I would prefer RN, BSN because this makes more sense to me since the RN is what I was really working for, but some are insisting that it is BSN, RN. I have never seen it BSN, RN and I looked on my school of nursing's website and they list it name, RN, BSN.

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Jun 18, 2011

I use Hiddencat BSN, RN on my resume because many employers in the area prefer or only hire BSN nurses. Everywhere else it's just Hiddencat RN. I guess if I ever write and publish a paper or article I'd include the degree in my credentials.

I admit to feeling a twinge of annoyance when I see people do it with the RN first. Just a twinge and it passes lol.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Jun 18, 2011

Clearly it varies. Out of curiosity, I just checked my school website. Most of the faculty sign RN, BSN. To me, that makes the most sense. The RN is of most importance, followed by your alphabet soup of degrees :)

allnurses Guide · Jun 18, 2011

llg said:
Here on allnurses.com ... I am generally known as simply llg.

and we love having you here!

Gotta love these 3 year old threads....... Professionally, it really is earned degree, then license, then credentials. Hospital daily life, just the RN. Otherwise, my sig letters would be longer than my name! MSN, RN, ACLS, TNCC, ENPC, ADNAUSEUMCC

TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP · Jun 19, 2011

makinjellow said:
I have never seen it BSN, RN and I looked on my school of nursing's website and they list it name, RN, BSN.

As I said, half of nursing lives in (sometimes willful) ignorance of the rules for post-nominal letters. Just because you see others do it does not mean it's correct.