Plastic Surgical Nursing (PSN), the official journal of the International Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Nurses (ISPAN), publishes this column to provide evidence-based answers to practice questions from plastic and aesthetic nurses.
DISPLAYING NURSING CREDENTIALS
Question:
What is the correct order for displaying my nursing credentials after my name?
Answer:
To establish an understandable and professional process for credential usage across all spectrums of nursing, the American Nurses Association (ANA; 2009) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC; 2013) recommend that nurses list their credentials in the following order:
1. Highest earned degree
2. Licensure
3. State designations or requirements
4. National certifications
5. Awards and honors
6. Other certifications
According to the ANA, "In the nursing profession, the use of credentials is an essential component to designate levels of attained education and licensure, certification, and professional achievement" (2009, p. 1). The variety of nursing credentials and the use of multiple acronyms following the name of a nurse can be confusing to patients and interdisciplinary colleagues (ANA, 2009). Following a standard order for displaying nursing credentials helps ensure that nurses, health care providers, consumers, third-party payers, and government officials understand the significance and value of a nurse's credentials (ANCC, 2013).
Highest Degree Earned
Educational degrees should be listed first because they are permanent credentials (ANCC, 2013). Once earned, an academic degree cannot be taken away except under extraordinary circumstances (ANCC, 2013). Academic degree credentials are earned after completing a specific educational program (ANA, 2009). Educational degrees include doctoral degrees (e.g., PhD, DNS, DNP), master's degrees (e.g., MSN, MS, MA), bachelor's degrees (e.g., BSN, BS, BA), and Associate degrees (e.g., ASN, ADN, AD; ANCC, 2013).
Whether the degree is in nursing or a nonnursing field, nurses should list their highest academic degree first (ANA, 2009; ANCC, 2013). In most cases, listing one academic degree is enough; however, if the nurse has a second degree in a field other than nursing, it is acceptable to list both degrees (ANCC, 2013). For example, if a nurse has a master's degree in a nonnursing field and a bachelor's degree in nursing, the nurse may choose to list both degrees (e.g., Nancy Smith, MEd, BSN, RN). Likewise, if a nurse has two master's degrees (one in nursing and one in business), the nurse may choose to list both degrees (e.g., Nancy Smith, MSN, MBA, RN). If the nurse has a doctoral degree and a master's degree, it is not necessary to list a baccalaureate degree (ANCC, 2013).
Licensure
State licensure is mandatory for practicing as a professional nurse (ANA, 2009). Licensure is earned after completing a specific educational program and successfully passing a national licensure examination (e.g., NCLEX-RN, NCLEX-PN; ANA, 2009). Licensure is the process by which a government agency grants permission to an individual to engage in a given occupation after verifying that the applicant has attained the minimum level of competency necessary to ensure that the public health, safety, and welfare will be reasonably protected (ANA, 2009, p. 2, as cited by the APRN Consensus Work Group and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing APRN Advisory Committee, 2008). Licensure credentials include RN and LPN (ANCC, 2013).
State Designations or Requirements
State designations or requirements recognize authority to practice at an advanced level in that state (ANCC, 2013). State designations or requirements include advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), nurse practitioner (NP), and clinical nurse specialist (CNS; ANCC, 2013).
National Certifications
National certifications for nurses are awarded through nationally recognized certifying bodies such as the ANCC, Competency & Credentialing Institute (CCI), Plastic Surgical Nursing Certification Board (PSNCB), Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB), and others (ANCC, 2013). Certification is voluntary and not mandated except as defined by state regulation in accordance with scope of practice (ANA, 2009). Certifications recognize specialized education or expertise in specified areas of nursing practice (ANA, 2009). National certifications include registered nurse-board certified (RN-BC), certified perioperative nurse (CNOR), certified plastic surgery nurse (CPSN), certified aesthetic nurse specialist (CANS), certified wound care nurse (CWCN), and others.
Nurses who have earned multiple certifications may list them in any order but should consider listing them either in the order of relevance to the nurse's personal practice or in the order the certifications were obtained, with the most recent certification listed first (ANCC, 2013).
Awards and Honors
Awards and honors recognize outstanding service or accomplishments in nursing (e.g., Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing [FAAN], International Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Nursing Fellow [ISPAN-F]; ANA, 2009; ANCC, 2013). Credentials for awards and honors should be listed after any national certifications (ANCC, 2013).
Other Certifications
Other certifications are certifications that recognize additional skills not associated with the profession of nursing (e.g., emergency medical technician; ANA, 2009). In the list of credentials, nonnursing certifications should be listed last (ANA, 2009; ANCC, 2013).
When displaying credentials, a comma and a space should be placed after the name of the nurse. The nurse's credentials should follow as uppercase letters without periods between the letters but with a comma and a space between each credential. For example:
Nancy Smith, MSN, RN, APRN, CPSN
Nancy Smith, DNP, RN, NP, FNP-BC, CANS, FAAN
Nancy Smith, BSN, RN, RN-BC, ISPAN-F
If you have a question about plastic and aesthetic nursing that you would like to see addressed in the "I Have a Question!" column of PSN, or if you would like to provide an answer to a particular practice question, please contact Sharon Ann Van Wicklin, Editor-in-Chief, PSN at mailto:[email protected].
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