Do you ever forget your patient's names?

[chenoaspirit]

Last night a doc asked me how mr so/and/so was doing. For the life of me, the name did not ring a bell. I felt so stupid. He looked at me and said, "well, if you manage to find him tonight, then maybe you can take care of him". Now this doc is also MY family doc and is usually nice to me. But he caught me off guard, I had only been on shift for about an hour. I am sooooo bad with names. I usually refer to them as a room number, and yes I know that is so impersonal. Anyone else?

[steelcityrn, RN]

Have forgotten a few names and had to dance around it until I checked the name again.

[SuperSleeper]

Not that I'm proud about it...

At approx 1700 on Sunday (I'm baylor) I get a phone call from upstairs. The nurse says "I'm calling to get report on Mrs. Smith (not real name)." I say, "ok, hold on." I then put the phone on hold and get up and start calling out. "Mrs. Smith....Mrs.Smith...Who's got Mrs. Smith," kind of jokingly like a hostess at a restaurant. No one answers, so I go look on the board............oh dang. That would be me.

Thank God no one heard me! LOL

Mrs. Smith was my 8th crit.care pt that weekend.

I will never forget her or her (real) name now.

[TazziRN, RN]

I have never worked a floor, just ER, and I can honestly say I have never forgotten a name. Good memory? No, just a different atmosphere.

I'll shut up now.

[ZootRN]

Never remember names. Two many patients, too many things to do.

[txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN]

honey, i forget my own name!!!

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Oh yeah among the many other things I have that make me human. Instead of Mr Doctor walking off and leaving you wondering, maybe he should have shown a little understanding.

He had ONE patient to remember; you had 10.

So next time, "Uh Doc. remind me OK? You know I'm good just not at remembering names this early in the day/shift."

[MarySunshine]

Sometimes I'll go to the Pyxis to get a med out and I'll just stand there for a second not remembering what name to type in. Then I'll remember..."It starts with a B..." and go from there. Sad, but true.

[General E. Speaking, RN, RN]

Yup, it happens. I've had doctors asking me about a particular patient. Have even gone as far as looking at the board to see who has them. Oops...that would be me:imbar It happens, it doesn't mean you are a bad nurse, just a busy one. Now when you leave work if you forget where you live...I'd worry.

[Purdue_Nurse]

Sometimes I'll go to the Pyxis to get a med out and I'll just stand there for a second not remembering what name to type in. Then I'll remember..."It starts with a B..." and go from there. Sad, but true.

I do the exact same thing. I am absolutely horrible with names. Not just at work but in every setting! Sometimes I think all of the confused patients with dementia I end up taking care of are rubbing off on me.

[rnin02]

I do that all the time! Especially at the beginning of the shift, you've barely met them, and you are supposed to remember everything? Doesn't happen for me! That's what report sheets (better known as "brains") are for! Half the time lately I'm forgetting my coworkers' names, that's really bad. Just sitting there, staring at them, struggling to come up with their name so I can say something...and I've worked with these nurses for 6+ months now!

[MOOSEMAN]

I usually refer to pt's as the young lady in room____ or older man, etc. it's so much easier than trying to remember 30 + pt's

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

I do the exact same thing. I am absolutely horrible with names. Not just at work but in every setting! Sometimes I think all of the confused patients with dementia I end up taking care of are rubbing off on me.

lol, I call it part-timers, instead of alzheimers. hehe. I am soooo glad I am not the only one who does this though, whew! It did make me feel kinda stupid though, and LOOK stupid to the doc. He used to tell me what a great nurse I am, I bet he is wondering about that now. lol.