Do you call your patients by first or last name?

[HappyNurse2005]

Is your pt "Mr Doe" or "John" to you? I ALWAYS call my pt's by last name. Mr or Mrs whatever. Of course, I'm 24, and 99.999999999% of my pt's are older than me. It's a respect thing to me. Not that calling by first name is disrespect, but I don't know...It just never occurs to me to call them by first name.

Though, I do occasionally call older ladies "honey".

So what do you call them?

[bjs54321]

Clarification: In a small town...first name by permission.

Big town/city: formal....Mr/Miss/Ms...........

It would be culturally unfriendly to address people by their formal name here...so of course...ask permission and then use the preference....When I work as a traveler...the formal is only appropriate.

[mdoze911nurse]

It is really odd to me but here in the midwest most folks, nurses and others, address patients, customers, etc by their first names. I am 'old' but down home (Mississippi) you always address folks by either first or last name but ALWAYS with MR or Miss (Miz) in front. You would NEVER just say Mary or Sally especially if the person is older than you. Of course the exception is Aunt or Uncle whoever. I still wince when I hear a young nurse call a person by their first name. I have done it in the ER if I am trying to get a response out of a non-responsive patient but those are the exceptions. (Down home you might really get a response) I don't think it is that way now as much as when I first started nursing 20 years ago but it is still important to show respect.

[flashpoint]

The hospital I worked at had a spot for name preference on the initial intake sheet both in ER and on the floors...it was also on the initial face sheet so that helped make it a little easier. There are some people that I just couldn't call by their first name even if that was listed as their name preference...old teachers, people from church, etc...

[elizabells, BSN, RN]

Mr or Ms X. But I'm a student, so I feel like I need to be EXTRA respectful. I've called pt's younger than me by their first names, though. And if the RN calls them something else, I've slipped a couple of times. I call almost everyone outside of the hospital honey or sweetie, so I'm sure I've messed that one up too.

[GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

If they are the very young patients (under 30) I use their first name. Middle aged I usually ask their preference. Older than middle age I always use Miss/Mrs./ Mr. unless instructed not to.

[LuvMyGamecocks]

LeahJet....I was intrigued about the way to spell Ma'am.

My .02 - Though I'm not yet a nurse, I believe I would also call a patient Mr. or Ms. unless instructed otherwise.

[LeahJet, ASN, RN]

Maybe I should pick up a Southern accent... might be a solution...

Oh, please don't....:chuckle

[Fun2, BSN, RN]

For Seniors-eldery, I usually say Ms./Mr Doe, unless I have been given permission to call them by their first names. Then I still usually say, Mr. John, or Ms. Jane.., because I respect them.

Children, first name....with occasional sweetie, etc.

My age, or around there, usually first name basis. Not that they don't deserve respect, it's just that not many people my age want to be called Mr. or Mrs. by someone around their same age.

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

Never honey or sweetie.

It's Mr. or Ms. unless they specify.

(And i have a southern accent)

[NessaNurse]

I call the kids I work w by thier first name, or by sweetie, kido or papas or mamas (*I live in LA lol), parents are mom and dad (I never remember thier name)

[Undecided7]

Maybe I'm the only one, but I use the FIRST name unless asked to do otherwise. As a 30 yr old married women I personally HATE being called by my last name or called Mrs. or maim. It just seems fake, inpersonal, and insincere to me. I also can't stand sales or customer service people that are over polite. Just talk to me like a normal person. I find people more approachable when they don't try to be all politically correct. I also find it comforting and caring when someone calls me "hon" or "honey" (unless it's being used as a sexual or condesending term- and YES, I think most people can tell the difference). I haven't had any complaints yet and I seem to connect with most patients and families. I have had a couple older patients that wanted to be addressed by a formal title and I respect that too. I have to be honest though- in my experience the few that do have a problem with that are more closed, icy- not usually full of joy and love. It takes all kinds and I'm not saying that's wrong- just an observation. I think that respect and professionalism is measured in how we treat and what we do for people, not really by what titles we use.

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

I think that respect and professionalism is measured in how we treat and what we do for people, not really by what titles we use.

Usually i'm introducing myself to Mr or Ms. Patient before i'm doing anything for them though.