Should I go ahead and get "RN" engraved after my name when

[HealerWoman]

I order my new stethoscope? I'm not usually superstitious, but I am kind of leery of getting "RN" after my name before I take the boards. I'm doing great in nursing school, and I finish RN clinicals at the end of next month, then have one last month of didactic, then graduation. I'd ask for a new scope for graduation, except my family put me through school, so I'm not asking for gifts. I need a new scope now, anyway.

I'm currently an LPN, but as long as no catastrophes occur in the next 10 weeks, I'll be an RN very soon. I figure if I order the scope I want now, I might as well get it engraved for free. I'd rather not send it back in to the company later for engraving (if they'll even let you do that).

What do you think?

[Bamasn]

Yyyyeeeeeeeesssssss.......you must claim it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[VRN-RN]

My mom got me a watch with my name and rn after I graduated and passed nclex the first try so yeah go for it!!!! It's all in the head

[Sarah Ann Hay]

I don't know. You have to earn those credentials and you are not an RN. That's just how I see it.

[dthfytr, ADN, LPN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-I]

I'm not superstitious, but why take chances? Go for it but put a piece of tape over the "RN" part. Don't take your NCLEX near the full moon, avoid black cats, don't walk under ladders, throw salt over your shoulder, don't toast to someone with water, draw a pentagram on your floor with candles at the points, stand in the middle and pivot pouring sand from your left hand making a complete circle of sand while chanting uhmanurse, uhmanurse, uhmanurse, hang a dead chicken from your worst enemies door. You're all set! Good luck.

[Well-Seasoned]

I believe in the power of positive thinking..go for it!

[pers]

I don't know. You have to earn those credentials and you are not an RN. That's just how I see it.

My thoughts as well. I realize you are about to graduate but until you pass the NCLEX you aren't an RN. I'm a little surprised at how many support you having it put on there considering the number of "angry" threads I've seen around here regarding people using titles they haven't earned. If you wanted to engrave LPN and then later have RN added I'd say go for it. Perhaps putting your degree on there would acknowledge what you've accomplished without jumping the gun?

Not to be a downer, but not everyone passes the NCLEX. While most people do pass their first time, I have worked with a couple of LPNs who failed their RN boards. One only needed a second try but one woman I know required multiple attempts over two years to pass.

Unless you won't be using the stethoscope until after you pass your boards, I suggest you wait on the engraving.

[fungez]

Oh, do it. The odds are greatly in your favor that you'll pass on the first try. Have faith!!

[HealerWoman]

AAARGH! Thank you all for the comments, but I'm getting about 50/50 on yes/no! LOL!!! I thought about doing it and covering the RN with a little sticker or something, so I'm leaning towards that. I'm NOT trying to claim to be an RN when I'm not - the only people who might even notice are my girlfriends in school, just hate to buy 2 stethoscopes when I know which one I want to use soon. I DID learn about the hanging the dead chicken from my enemies door, so I'll file that little tidbit away for later. LMAO.

OK, ladies. I'll let you know what I decide. Maybe I can write "LPN" on the sticker that I cover "RN" with? What do you think?

[Justanotherday]

I bet you could just get it engraved locally later. I've gotten things engraved at a jewelry store at the mall by us. Of course, it's not free then.

But I would get it engraved now if it were me and I needed the stethescope now. If I didn't need it now, I guess I would wait.

[April, RN, BSN, RN]

Really, it's just engraving on a new stethoscope! I guess I don't see what the big deal is. You can hardly see the engraving unless you look closely anyway.

My parents got me a nice stethoscope when I graduated with my name and RN engraved on it and I was all in a tizzy about it because I hadn't passed my boards yet. I did pass on the first try a few weeks later. I still have my stethoscope but I had to put other name tags on it because you can hardly even see the engraving.

[O'SheaRN]

I was raised by my southern grandmother. So, I'd say I'm pretty superstitious. I would wait to get it engraved. I waited until I passed my boards to register for this site! Think of how good it will feel to do it, after your an actual RN.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Here's what I did. Got my spiffy stethoscope (it's a Littman Cardiology III, it was a gift from my partner at the fire station), then I got an ID tag like this:

Black Identification Tag , Fits All Sizes

You can get them engraved, and they look very nice. The day after I found out I'd passed NCLEX, I sent it in for engraving with RN on there. So there you go -- you can get your stethoscope and have the engraving done later. It holds up well -- I've had it for more almost two years and it still looks great.