Why do nurses.....

I think it's a little nutty, too. Maybe they are proud have having worked their way up or want to let others on the site with different credentials know that they've "been there".

Pangea Reunited, ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Why do nurses, with each degree, leave them on behind their last degree?

So, hi, I'm Offlabel, RN, CCRN, AA, BSN, MSN, DPN.

Why isn't it just Offlabel, RN? Or CNM? or NP? or CRNA?

I know that's the culture but doesn't, say, an MS imply that there is a BS in there somewhere? It's sort of aggrandizement that looks dumb. MD's or DO's or whatever don't do that so why do nurses?

It's as though some folks are trying to convince themselves that they're really smart and have an axe to grind.

It really looks unprofessional when certifications are mixed with degrees that are mixed with licenses.

My opinion

The correct way is to put first the degree you earned because that can never be taken away from you. The second is RN, then NP (some schools use different letters such as APRN; some people use FNP, ANP, ACNP, etc) CNS, CNM or CRNA, for example. I've seen people list all their degrees. That is not necessary, but I think it's OK on a site such as this. It is assumed if you have a DNP you also have an MS, MN or MSN (all in nursing depending on how the school awards its degrees), but you might also have an MBA or MHA. Confused?

This is the way I think it should be done on a scholarly paper or for a publication: Sue Smith, DNP, MBA, RN, ACNP. For the same nurse on her white coat or name tag, she could eliminate the MBA, or not....For conferences I've attended, I tend to see all the degrees listed after their names in the brochure and on the screen. And I have seen many MDs who do do it, such as MD, PhD or MD, MBA or MD, MPH. There are no degree listing police that i know of. At ENA conferences I put CEN on my name tag too. I like knowing what degrees people have, but I might be in the minority. I think national certifications such as CCRN and CEN do not need to be on a name tag but can be. They are to be proud of!

Lol, this cracks me up!! My husband is a dentist and we get a lot of mailings from his dental school. A lot of the people writing articles put 1000 initials after their work. It becomes comical after about 5 i get tons of blood, sweat and tears went into getting where one is, but...

Lol, this cracks me up!! My husband is a dentist and we get a lot of mailings from his dental school. A lot of the people writing articles put 1000 initials after their work. It becomes comical after about 5 i get tons of blood, sweat and tears went into getting where one is, but...

This is common and accepted practice when publishing. The academic world, if you will.

Generally I am Cayenne06, CNM. If I am being fancy, it might be Cayenne06, MSN CPM CNM. I dropped my lesser degrees as soon as I got a higher one and don't even include RN in my title, except for when I pick up a rare shift working as a floor nurse. Then I am just Cayenne06, RN. or maybe MSN RN. I am proud of my letters :)

I have NEVER understood this alphabet soup nonsense. Show me another profession whose members display anything other than the appropriate professional title. Emphasis on profession.

I once worked with a NP who insisted on taking her lab coat back to the embroiderer after every certificate/accreditation. Then she'd send the bill to our employer. They never did pay after the basic ANP.

In some settings, such as publishing research, it's totally appropriate to list the alphabet soup of credentials and degrees, in many other settings though it makes it appear like we're trying spruce up the title "RN" by burying it under a bunch of other letters.

In some settings, such as publishing research, it's totally appropriate to list the alphabet soup of credentials and degrees, in many other settings though it makes it appear like we're trying spruce up the title "RN" by burying it under a bunch of other letters.

I've always believed that the need to "spruce up" the RN title came about as a result of the disparate routes to RN. An ASN wants you to be certain the she has a DEGREE, and God forbid a BSN is mistaken for an ASN.

In some settings, such as publishing research, it's totally appropriate to list the alphabet soup of credentials and degrees, in many other settings though it makes it appear like we're trying spruce up the title "RN" by burying it under a bunch of other letters.

I respectfully disagree, especially since "RN" is not a degree. We are a profession and need to behave as other professions do. Nursing is its own worse enemy, IMHO.