I have to admit I am not a strong customer service devotee. Oddly, I'd rather save the patient's life than know the name of the patient's life I saved. Sometimes I'll use sir or madam but rarely use "Hon," "Sugar," or "Dear." Sure, a flagged chart with two patients, a jane smith occupying a room adjacent to a joan smith warrants my now pay attention alarm.
I knew of a nurse who would not only remember the patient's name several years out but could state the diagnosis, the patient's main concerns during his stay, his girl friends name, his heart rhythm (OMG!).
I believe it's a form of intelligence to recognize a person and address them with their name spontaneously when let's say, you see their face when zooming around a corner to get to a patient's room. It's really amazing to me, that that person has such an antenna. Not everyone has this ability and I'm one.
So, what about you? Do you reference your fellow coworkers as what's her face? Are you apt to forget names following introduction? Are you an expert at name memory and recognition? What's your trick?
Specializes in Flight, ER, Transport, ICU/Critical Care.
The NAMES that I have remembered over the years are the patients that changed me. When I lose my place, I sit quietly and recall that all the hard work I have done is so that the ______ get another day with their family.
As a rule, I have a terrible time with names. I'd get one to the hospital and registration would pester me - I'd have to go ask or check their ID cards. It was the least important piece of info I obtain.
M/F, Age, CC, History of CC, Past Med/Surgical History, Meds, Allergies - Assessment, Intervention, Response and on-going care and notes. Name - not so much.
No tricks - try to write it down early. Not too good at it. I am with patients a short time. I was a little better in the hospital - but, not much and I never could recall without looking.
Try not to call - honey, sweetie >>>> had a doc get crazy with me when he caught me busy and rudely handed me a chart with a verbal demand to get the whatever he had ordered right away. I said, Honey, I'll get to it in a minute. He freaked and screached - "I am not your HONEY." He's was right - I just noted that if he "could never be MY HONEY - cause I'd have just taken my bread dry!"
Interior of Hospital Room a quarter past one o'clock.
NURSE JANE
My patient's not responding! Call a code!
(MD with RT and a nurse from ICU ENTER Nurse Jane's Pt's room)
MD
What happened Jane?
NURSE JANE
He's 52 and arrived to our unit with a diagnosis of renal failure, COPD, and chest pain. This morning his K was 3.5 Mag of 2.2 and elevated cardiac enzymes. His rhythm prior to this has been irregular, afib with a bundle branch block. His a.m. meds were Metropolol, Plavix, Aspirin, nitro patch, and he's recieved two doses of 2mg of Morphine. One at 9 and the other at 12. His
MD
What's the patient's name?
NURSE JANE
Why doctor, his armband is closest to you, all you have to do is just look!
MD
You aught to know his name nurse! What's my name?
NURSE JANE
Why I can't remember? What do you prefer to be called?
MD
I can't believe you can't remember my name nurse! How do you expect to get anything done around here?!
Following 10 minutes of CPR Patient's heart beat reappears on the monitor screen in the exact rhythm Nurse Jane had previously reported sustaining at 60 BPM. MD leaves room and takes the chart. Charge nurse enters room.
CHARGE NURSE
We've got a bed in ICU. (Addressing Nurse Jane) Can you get your aide to assist you and transport him there stat?
NURSE JANE
Sure thing. What's the name of the nurse I'll be reporting to in ICU?
CHARGE NURSE
She's the blond with the blue scrubs. Has a Russian Accent. Can't miss her!
NURSE JANE
(To self) If only I could remember that nurse's name!
I said, Honey, I'll get to it in a minute. He freaked and screached - "I am not your HONEY." He's was right - I just noted that if he "could never be MY HONEY - cause I'd have just taken my bread dry!"
So, what about you? Do you reference your fellow coworkers as what's her face? Are you apt to forget names following introduction? Are you an expert at name memory and recognition? What's your trick?
My secret is the q 15 minute safety rounds we have to do on every patient: within an hour or so, I've got most of their names pegged...oh never mind, I thought you were talking about patient names :)
As far as nurses/staff go...it's a small facility, so I get to see the same faces a lot and so I learn their names fast. If I'm ever in doubt though, I look at the unit staff list, rule out who I do know, and make a (hopefully good) guess.
not a nurse but a doctor. i met her once when i was 8 and twice when i was 20 I am now 22. monday i was in the clinic that i saw her in she was coming down the stairs i was walking past them "Hi Margaret how are you doing?" also when i saw her the first time when i was 20 she came into the exam room..."have i seen you before because your name is REALLY familiar!"
I remember patient names/diagnoses/tons of info long after I have them. My memory is so good for that kind of stuff that my coworkers actually tease me about it at times. I work subacute rehab & have the same assignment each day I work. Avg length of stay is about 2 weeks to one month on my unit, but I have had patients with me between 2 and 4 months...and one was there as long as six months. I get to know them pretty well, and many of them are pretty tough to forget :-)
Specializes in ward nursing - cardiac, medical, neuro.
Interesting comments. And what a relief. I used to pride myself on remembering people's names - and did quite well using baylor's trick - to use the name a few times. Alas, for me, this ability is limited to names I am familiar with. I have recently moved, and the new hospital I work at serves a different demographic - an ethnic group (and names) I have had little or no exposure to in the past. I am lucky if I remember a patient's name after 2 or 3 days with them, if they are not discharged before this time. Once the name sticks, I usually remember it for several weeks at least, but often I will just remember the face, the faces of family members, the diagnosis... but no name. sigh.
I had a patient once, when I was a student, and she was admitted to my ward again several years later. She remembered ME very clearly, and was delighted to see me... I was humbled and blessed. I had only a vague recollection myself. I think as nurses sometimes we are so busy with our very sick patients, that the less needy ones remain in our peripheral perception, both during our time with them and in our memories. This is a poor defense, but the only reason I can fathom. In any case, it is not that we care about them less.
Can't tell you how many times I have gone into a patients room when they were sleeping and needed to wake them up only to realize I can't remember their name. Usually I try to peek at their name band. At least 50% of the time this scenario ends up with the patient waking up with me hovering over them...awkward to say the least.
not specific to name....since i am agency i bounce around quite a bit, had a patient last week cmo/hospice, starting to gurgle, couldnt find an order for scop, but i knew i had seen it the month before.....yup, it was missed in the change over from the month before....
Sometimes I'll use sir or madam but rarely use "Hon," "Sugar," or "Dear." Sure, a flagged chart with two patients, a jane smith occupying a room adjacent to a joan smith warrants my now pay attention alarm..thumb.jpg.ccc2deb5c83ef722c05e530ac420d6fb.jpg){kind=small}
:lol2:
Medic/Nurse, BSN, RN
880 Posts
The NAMES that I have remembered over the years are the patients that changed me. When I lose my place, I sit quietly and recall that all the hard work I have done is so that the ______ get another day with their family.
As a rule, I have a terrible time with names. I'd get one to the hospital and registration would pester me - I'd have to go ask or check their ID cards. It was the least important piece of info I obtain.
M/F, Age, CC, History of CC, Past Med/Surgical History, Meds, Allergies - Assessment, Intervention, Response and on-going care and notes. Name - not so much.
No tricks - try to write it down early. Not too good at it. I am with patients a short time. I was a little better in the hospital - but, not much and I never could recall without looking.
Try not to call - honey, sweetie >>>> had a doc get crazy with me when he caught me busy and rudely handed me a chart with a verbal demand to get the whatever he had ordered right away. I said, Honey, I'll get to it in a minute. He freaked and screached - "I am not your HONEY." He's was right - I just noted that if he "could never be MY HONEY - cause I'd have just taken my bread dry!"
Good Luck!