Re: Order of Professional Credentials/Degrees. I want to locate an
authoritative source that clearly states the correct protocol, or
rules, for the order of multiple credentials--a source that I can
print out and give to professionals. I am particularly interested in
the protocol, or rules, within the medical and/or healthcare fields.
For example, a Registered Nurse (designated by the letter RN after
her/his name) may also have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
degree. Some nurses will place the "RN" before the "BSN" when writing
their name--e.g., Susan Smith, RN, BSN--and some will use the opposite
order--e.g., Susan Smith, BSN, RN. What is the correct order, and,
more importantly, what and where is the sort that states what is the
correct order? I used to believe that the highest credential came
first immediately after the name. In the case of a Licensed Clinical
Social Worker (LCSW)he or she must first obtain a Masters degree in
Social Work--nearly always a Master of Social Work (MSW)
degree--before applying for the license (LCSW). An LCSW has to have a
MSW first before he or she can obtain a LCSW. Therefore, and LCSW is a
higher credential than an MSW. I used to believe that the correct
order for those credentials was Susan Smith, LCSW, MSW. However, I
recently heard that there is a distinction made between an "academic"
credential--e.g., a degree--and a professional credential that is
granted by a state licensing board or a professional credentialing
body. In the case of the nurse, the BSN would be the academic
credential and the RN would be the professional credential. What I
have heard is that the correct order for listing these credentials is
the highest academic credential first, followed by the highest
non-academic credential. So in the case of the social worker, it would
be Susan Smith MSW, LCSW, which is opposite to what I used to believe
it to be. (Why use credentials at all? In the medical field law and
regulation usually require that a professional state any credentials
he or she may hold.) Again, I am not only looking for the correct
order, but the source that I can copy and give to professionals. |
Request for Question Clarification by
hummer-ga
on
05 Nov 2004 08:03 PST
Hi jonathanojordan,
Please have a look at the following links and see if they meet your
requirements as an appropriate source (click on the links to see more
details).
Medical Library Association:
"...Credentials are placed after academic and professional degrees..."
http://www.mlanet.org/publications/style/style_abbreviations.html#A4
University of Alabama: Guide to Syle and Design: academic degrees:
"...List only terminal degrees (the highest degree a person has
received): Tammy Smith, Ph.D., NOT Tammy Smith, B.A., M.A., Ph.D..."
http://main.uab.edu/show.asp?durki=7713
Therefore, the following is correct:
Susan Smith MSW, LCSW
Susan Smith, BSN, RN
I'll look forward to hearing from you,
hummer
|
