Using RN after your name in a different state.

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN · Sep 21, 2020

I would imagine that as licensure stops at the state line, your abbreviations should reflect that.

Why in this scenario would a person be putting RN after their name? It's obvious that they're not working, as their license is still in process...

emipn · Sep 21, 2020

1 minute ago, Jedrnurse said:

I would imagine that as licensure stops at the state line, your abbreviations should reflect that.

Why in this scenario would a person be putting RN after their name? It's obvious that they're not working, as their license is still in process...

Because the person is proud that she is a RN. Anyways she is the executive team so doesn’t really do clinical work.

she did pass her boards? NCLEX Which is National?

or am I wrong?

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN · Sep 21, 2020

14 minutes ago, emipn said:

Because the person is proud that she is a RN. Anyways she is the executive team so doesn’t really do clinical work.

she did pass her boards? NCLEX Which is National?

or am I wrong?

NCLEX is standardized, but licensure is granted by the state. If it's a healthcare facility, some executives work under their license, depending on the position. If she's not doing any nursing/nursing administration work she's not practicing without a license. Anyway, you stated that she's in process of getting reciprocity.

To each their own...

emipn · Sep 21, 2020

6 minutes ago, Jedrnurse said:

NCLEX is standardized, but licensure is granted by the state. If it's a healthcare facility, some executives work under their license, depending on the position. If she's not doing any nursing/nursing administration work she's not practicing without a license. Anyway, you stated that she's in process of getting reciprocity.

To each their own...

Would it be acceptable to put it on their business card ?

Sour Lemon · Sep 21, 2020

1 hour ago, emipn said:

When you are not practicing as an RN in the state (example California) Is it acceptable to put RN after your name if your RN license is in another state (example New York) and still in the process of getting reciprocated?

What type of business is the card for, and under what circumstances would it be distributed?

chare · Sep 21, 2020

30 minutes ago, emipn said:

Would it be acceptable to put it on their business card ?

In my opinion, if you are representing yourself as an RN outside of the state(s) in which you are licensed it is deceptive at a minimum. And, it might be illegal as well, although this is a question best answered by a lawyer.

MunoRN, RN · Sep 21, 2020

It's illegal in the state of California, using your example, to refer to yourself as an RN if not licensed by the state of California. You can use your degree after your name (BSN, MSN, etc), but the title "RN" refers to your licensure.

caliotter3 · Sep 21, 2020

You said this person is in an executive position, so most likely, yes, she can put RN after her name because her employment eminates from New York right? If her employer is not based in NY, then no, no, no. If she has a CA employer, and is working in CA, she can NOT work in an RN role without an RN license from the State of CA. If she wants to work as an RN in NV, she must possess the RN license issued by the State of NV. However, a notable exception to this are government entities, such as the Veterans Administration, which will allow one to work under any valid RN license, etc. When an RN with a VA job transfers to any other VA facility in the US, they are not required to obtain that state's license. They can work under any valid RN license that they already possess.

This is the whole gist of state unique licenses. Yes, the NCLEX is the same throughout the nation but licenses are NOT. Just like driver's licenses.

These are really some common sense questions that nurse in question should have had addressed in her RN program when the instructor had the student's open up their copy of their State's RN Scope of Practice. It is all spelled out there in black and white.

Sour Lemon · Sep 21, 2020

35 minutes ago, caliotter3 said:

You said this person is in an executive position, so most likely, yes, she can put RN after her name because her employment eminates from New York right? If her employer is not based in NY, then no, no, no. If she has a CA employer, and is working in CA, she can NOT work in an RN role without an RN license from the State of CA. If she wants to work as an RN in NV, she mut possess the RN license issued by the State of NV. However, a notable exception to this are government entities, such as the Veterans Administration, which will allow one to work under any valid RN license, etc. When an RN with a VA job transfers to any other VA facility in the US, they are not required to obtain that state's license. They can work under any valid RN license that they already possess.

This is the whole gist of state unique licenses. Yes, the NCLEX is the same throughout the nation but licenses are NOT. Just like driver's licenses.

These are really some common sense questions that nurse in question should have had addressed in her RN program when the instructor had the student's open up their copy of their State's RN Scope of Practice. It is all spelled out there in black and white.

Good point about the government entities. There is almost always an exception to any rule.

I would assume this person went to school in the state they're licensed in ...so that scope of practice, if reviewed in school, may be different than the state they're attempting to become licensed in now.

Anytime I read any state's scope of practice, I end up feeling more confused than I already was. Maybe that's just me, though.

caliotter3 · Sep 21, 2020

7 minutes ago, Sour Lemon said:

Good point about the government entities. There is almost always an exception to any rule.

I would assume this person went to school in the state they're licensed in ...so that scope of practice, if reviewed in school, may be different than the state they're attempting to become licensed in now.

Anytime I read any state's scope of practice, I end up feeling more confused than I already was. Maybe that's just me, though.

We sat there in class with our Scope of Practice copies all opened to the same page. The instructor went over it like a first grade teacher pounding something into the somewhat thick heads of the very attentive students. You had to be attentive to be on the correct page. IIRC, she had people read excerpts!

caliotter3 · Sep 21, 2020

This common sense question caused me to remember a coworker in a LTC facility who stated she was a "doctor" in her home country. Then why was she working as a CNA in the US and not putting the initials "MD" after her name? I guess she was not proud of being an MD. Just as valid an example.