How do you address your patients?

For the most part, I call them by their first name. I work in PACU, and most of my patients come to me "out of it". I've found that in order to document LOC, patients respond better to short statements, the shorter the better. It is easier to say "Beth" than to say "Mrs. Gobbledegook" - Pt. just rouse better to their first name.

I always use Mr/Mrs to set a tone of respect. If a patient feels I respect him/her they are more likely to respect me. If I have the patient for more than one day I will ask them if they would prefer I call them by THIER FIRST NAME. I have always hated the "what do you want me to call you" question. The choice is Mr/Mrs ... or thier given name. I will not use a nicknames or dear,darling, sweetie, honey...These are far too casual for the nurse patient relationship and set the wrong tone for patient care.

In ICU most of my patients are intubated and sedated. So I use first name and they respond better. Really important for me since this is Neuro ICU. I also tell them if awake and alert to call me by my first name. I ask if they are alert and oriented. I do ask family if they go by a nickname and use that for neuro checks. So I voted for calling by first name. I do that unless otherwise told not to.

I call the parents, "Mom" and "Dad"; I call the babies, "Baby". I do use terms of endearment for the babies, too: Snickerdoodle, Babycakes, Honeybunny and the like.

First name, "Mr./Mrs.," and "Sir/Maam," depending especially on how long I've known the patient. Most people I deal with live in a long-term care facility, so we know each other long enough to get to a first-name basis. I truly detest hearing people call them "Sweetie" or any of the other candy-names -- I rarely even call my wife or son by those names!!! Some folks have nicknames they like and, especially if they've made known that nickname, to be called by it. I suppose the best thing to do is...ask what your patient wants to be called! Once you enter the arena of starting therapeutic communication, using very formal titles may staunch the process (it makes the person feel somewhat disconnected from you) whereas using candy-names will add too much frivolity to it. Just think: if you went to Wal-mart or some other store, how would you feel being called "Sweetie" at the check-out? Wouldn't leave a good taste in your mouth, would it? You might even be tempted to slap the person, depending on how they said it and the context!!

I always start out saying Mr./Ms., and ask what they prefer to be called at some point during the intro... the ones that can speak, anyway...

Since I work in the OR I first address them by their full name, check the name band to confirm and then usually I just call them by their first name. I have always felt this was a good way to calm down nervous patients by connecting with them on a first name basis.

in the hospital where i work i usually ask them how they will like to be call and go by what they tells me. i alway go by what the pt say

For men, usually Mr Surname; with women, it depends on what kind of rapport I have. It's either Ms/Mrs Surname or Miss Firstname (eg Miss Alice).

Mr. & Mrs if they're my elder.....usually by first name if they're younger, just depends.