Stop The Title Madness

[INFIDEL]

Why are many nurses OBSESSED with initials after their names?

OK I understand.. RN, LPN, CRNA, and POSSIBLY listing educational level if you feel it lends extra credibility i.e ADN , BSN, MSN etc.

BUT i actually saw THIS after the name of some nurse in an article.

RN BS MSN CCRN CORN CFA CNA. Come on people, can we please tone it down a bit.

And if your ego needs those letters to lend some importance to your name, PLEASE publish a guide to what they mean as a footnote in whatever article you have written.

I could sign with LPN ADN BSN BA MSN CCRN CRNA APN.... but i think CRNA is all that is required.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Since people earned these titles, designations, and licensures, they ought to be proud of them. However, if people plan to sport their "alphabet soup" of titles, then they might as well do this in the correct manner.

IMPORTANT: Your degree(s) always come before your licensure. The theory behind this is that a degree can never be taken away, but a license can always be revoked. For example, signing one's name with "Jane Doe, RN, BSN" is not correct. "Jane Doe, BSN, RN" is the proper way to sign the name.

[queenjean]

I am not impressed by titles, and I'm a modest sort of person, so I'm not into wearing all my titles on my badge. Most people I work with don't even know all my titles and the certifications and degrees I have obtained.

Whatever floats your boat. The next time our badges are updated, though, a fellow nurse and I are are going to put a completely made up title after our "RN" initials. We've got to think of something good, it's got to fly past the people in HR without difficulty.

Any suggestions? I'd like something that implied something naughty (I suppose *** is too well known), or completely out of the nursing field -- like a certification that a mechanic might get.

[aeauooo]

I don't wear all of the letters I've earned on my badge, because that isn't what I'm about at the bedside.

My badge just says RN, although I wish it included BSN - not because I think the bachelors gives me more credibility at the bedside, but because of the negative attitude of other BSNs towards ADNs.

I sign RN. I have never listed ADN in my credentials. I will occasionally sign CNRN when I want to make a point (i.e., I know what I'm talking about).

I may drop BSN once I finish my MPH.

My wife asked me why I work so hard to maintain my CNRN if I am going into tropical medicine. The answer is that I worked hard to achieve and maintain my neuro certification, and there are plently of tropical diseases with neurological manifestations.

[aeauooo]

IMPORTANT: Your degree(s) always come before your licensure.

Now ya tell me!

Here's an article from the Nursing Spectrum on the subject:

http://www.nursecredentialing.org/cert/PDFs/CredentialsGame.pdf

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I agree that in real life I use truamarus, APN and that's it. However, when I've published articles or presented posters, I heap it on....however, it is not bragging but rather giving you the credentials to be knowledgeable enough to write on the subject.

I truly don't think I'm a snot! lol

[luvmy3kids]

Actually you do NOT have to have a BSN to get an MSN. there are programs awarding MSNs to people with bachelors in other majors.

Right, but I think she meant the BS in general would have to be earned before you can get a Master's. KWIM?

I don't mind it too much. I don't think it's necessary to list 3,000 of them, but a few is ok. My husband is a CFP (certified financial planner) and when we go to conventions... all the guys (and girls) in his company have badges that read:

Joe Shmoe CFP, ChFC, CLU, FIC yadda yadda

I have NO IDEA what the heck any of those mean... except for the CFP. Which I'm guessing in most cases... no one knows anything (at least patient wise) other than LPN, RN, or MD.

It's not limited to the nursing field.

[GrumpyRN63, ADN, RN]

Since people earned these titles, designations, and licensures, they ought to be proud of them. However, if people plan to sport their "alphabet soup" of titles, then they might as well do this in the correct manner.

IMPORTANT: Your degree(s) always come before your licensure. The theory behind this is that a degree can never be taken away, but a license can always be revoked. For example, signing one's name with "Jane Doe, RN, BSN" is not correct. "Jane Doe, BSN, RN" is the proper way to sign the name.

that's very interesting, I always thought it was the other way around, why then do we not see MD's do the same, i.e. MD,PhD,BS,EMT,GED ()???

Where's tiredMD for feedback!!

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

Hey, if I got the credientials then I am going to flaunt them. Doctors or PHds do the same thing, why not nurses?

One day I will be Katie R.N. A.D.N B.S.N M.S.N A.C.N.P or something like that.

No, you won't because it is not correct. The ADN is replaced by the BSN, which is then replaced by the MSN. Thus once you have the MSN you are only Katie MSN, RN, ACNP.

The only time people list AS or BS degrees is when they are unrelated to the HIGHER degree. For example, MBA, BS where the BS is in biology. Otherwise, it is considered redundant.

OP: I agree with the other posters, if a person publishing an article all education and certification should be listed to show proof of expertise. If he/she is just writing an email unrelated to credentials or whatever, then the long list is not necessary. So, Betty Crazyone, RN, Director of Oncology is enough in email but I want to see Betty Crazyone, MSN, RN, AOCN if the person is an author of an article I plan to use for one of my nursing school assignments!

Future [insert my name here] PhD, MBA, MSN, BA, RN [insert long list of certifications here]

[MikeyJ, RN]

I agree that if you are publishing a journal article, you should include your credentials.

However, you should probably only use those credentials that are significant to your practice while at work.

My BIGGEST pet peeve about a doctor (Ph.D. or MD/DO) is when they put Dr. John Doe, Ph.D. It is either Dr. John Doe or John Doe, Ph.D. There is a relatively new DNP professor on staff at my nursing school and his title is as follows:

DR. John Doe, DNP, MSN, FNP-C, RN-C. It is highly highly annoying. Most other professors put "Jane Doe, Ph.D, APN" or "Jane Doe, Ph.D, RN".

But I understand someone working very hard for their credentials and wanting to use them.

[scottlgarrett]

AMEN BROTHER.

CNA LPN RN, the patients don't need to know much else. If you are a CRNA, NP, or other such specialist, keep it simple. Most patients aren't interested in your resume, and neither are your coworkers.

[alkaleidi]

Silly silly silly. I have seen "Sally, RN, PALS" and "Erica, RN, ACLS" -- why would you put an AHA class behind your name as a professional certification/title? Come on now. At least make it something substantial like, "Sally, RN, CEN" or "Erica, RN, TNS". My employer limits credentials to TWO. 2. Two things you can list on your badge to identify your credentials.

Being that I work in the ED, most of our nurse's badges say something like what I mentioned above (CEN, TNS, or TNCC). Even the TNCC kind of sounds silly when you think about it. ("Erica, Registered Nurse, Trauma Nursing Core Course"? Nah. Maybe Registered Nurse, Trauma Nurse Specialist.) There's a difference between a certification and a title.

You don't see docs running around with badges that say, "Bruce Smith, MD, ACLS"! LOL

[Diary/Dairy, RN]

I usually just do RN - I write enough as it is....

But I did change my little thing - BSN, RN. I thought it was supposed to be the other way around.