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Discussion

What do you sign?

When I started working in my current position we were given the option of how we wanted our name/title to come out in the EMR, business cards, lab coats, etc...

I went simple with First name last name and NP. I really did not give it much thought..

I have seen all sorts of different and pretentious combinations over the past few months.

1. Jane Smith, RN, MSN, FNP, FNP-c, ARNP

2. Jane Smith, ADN, BSN, MSN, FNP-BC, APNP, CEN

but my favorite was

3. Jne Smith, RN, RN-C, ADN, BSN, MSN, CEN, ARNP, APNP, DNP

actually it was not her exact cluster, but I cannot help but chuckle overtime i see one of her notes. Seriously! I am actually dying to ask her what gives!

Last week i saw a form she signed and she actually wrote out the whole alphabet soup by hand!! I work with a few other NP/PA and they just pretty much roll their eyes, but it made me wonder if anyone else out there feels compelled to list every designation they have ever earned.....and why?

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    • Experts

    I find the alphabet soup so many nurses insist on downright embarrassing. When I sign I simply write NP although for lab coats, business cards or official stuff I use CRNP-PMH. I don't ever use BC, which I find especially foolish because at least to my knowledge in my state I wouldn't be practicing if I wasn't board certified.

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    On my lab coat

    Isabel K, DNP

    Nurse Practitioner

    On my signature: Isabel K, DNP, ANP-BC

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    • Experts

    It is usually dictated by your state how you sign your name. In IL, it is now

    TraumaRUs, APRN

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    i used to just sign APRN or NP. whatever my hand wanted to do at that moment since both were allowed by facility.

    who in their right mind would waste more time signing something ridiculous...

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    On my lab coat, business cards and my signature in charts, I put

    rnsrgr8t RN, CPNP (I am a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner).

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    When I actually used to use a pen, last name only. With epic, the system just stamps me Offlabel Nurse Anesthetist

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    My signature is rarely legible of my first or last name. So, no point in signing with extra letters. I've never understood the point of putting all these extra letters. Me personally I put my just my highest degree and my credentials (DizzyJon, DHSc, PA-C). Isn't it silly to put RN, NP, ARNP? If you are an NP, then everyone knows you're an RN and no need to put both NP and ARNP as that's redundant.

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    I use APRN or NNP-BC. Actually- we use EPIC charting and there's a dot phrase, so I actually use ".sig" to sign ;)

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    I find the alphabet soup so many nurses insist on downright embarrassing. When I sign I simply write NP although for lab coats, business cards or official stuff I use CRNP-PMH. I don't ever use BC, which I find especially foolish because at least to my knowledge in my state I wouldn't be practicing if I wasn't board certified.

    It's completely inferiority complex. I think it's ridiculous.

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    Seems a bit redundant and a bit overboard if she is putting every single one of her post nominals. My understanding is that the etiquette is Education, Licensure, then Speciality. I would just put my highest ones that relate to the speciality that I am currently working in then leave it at that. If I change or go into an additional speciality/area then I will add, remove, or change as needed.

    Agree with some of the commentors that if I am a NP, I don't really need to put RN since I can't be a NP without first being a RN etc. It also depends on the situation, if it is official things like business cards then I will list the most relevant ones for the speciality that I am working in but if I am just signing something; I will just keep it simple and related to the "hat" I am wearing at the time for that particular sign off CNM for midwifery related items, NP for Primary Care related items etc.

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    if people are signing a 5 line long signature they arent seeing enough patients or spending time with them.

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