First Names & "Professionalism"

mcmike55 · Nov 23, 2004

Ruby

I believe that in an operating room, especially, first name basis comes from knowing the doc, respecting him/her, and should not be used all the time.

Let's face it, in OR, we see a doc at his/her best and worst, and they see us also that way. I feel, depends on the hospital, I guess, but at where I work in a small hospital using a doc's first name kind of goes with the territory, after you get to know them, and they get to know you.

There are times, that I will still call the doc, DOCTOR JONES, or whatever in front of a pt and/or family, but depending on the situation, I don't, and I'm sure that is ok with them, because I know them.

First name basis is NOT a lack of respect, in my mind, how you treat each other and how you talk to each other is much more important! Again, this comes from knowing each other, and respecting each other, not only as a human, but as a medical professional. If you can't respect the person as a doctor or as another human being, you can put all the "doctor" this, or "mr/mrs" that you want in front of a name, and still be disrespectful or unprofessional.

I'm rambling a bit, I know, but I suspect that it may be different from big hospitals to small, but, to me, it's all has to do with respect and familuarity.

Frankly Ruby, I sounds to me that you all have bigger issues than calling each other by your first names. If some of those issues could be addressed and corrected, maybe, the name blame problem, may right itself.

Good luck

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Nov 23, 2004

Surgeons or anesthesiologists, we call them "Dr." We don't have any set rule about this, but everyone just does this.

I was at a party recently, in a discussion with two anesthesiologists. Another person said "Dr. ____, do you work tomorrow?". She replied "Well, yeah i do, but we're not at work. Call me Tracy." The other Dr. said "Yeah, call me John, we're not at work."

I figure it this way, "Dr." at work, and "Dr." off work unless they specify.

We talk about anything (within reason) in the O.R., unless the surgeon specifies that they want it quiet. And there are certain ones who want dead silence in their room.

But for those cases that might be 5 hours or more, i mean, home much can you tlak about your case in that amount of time??

carcha · Nov 28, 2004

Yeah I agree Dr or as we call them Mr or Ms at work and first names outside. I prefer it as when we have a disagreement about over runs, attitude ,etc ,etc , it allows us to treat each other as co workers and not disagree as friends. I think its for the best. out of interest to the first poster, what do the mds call the nurses?

live4today, RN · Nov 28, 2004

doctors and nurses should be allowed to refer to each other on a first name basis when not in the presence of the patients.

as for me......just call me nurse "so and so" and i will call you doctor "so and so". :chuckle

why do doctors and patients call nurses by their first names, while patients and nurses call docs by their title and last name? i never really understood that? how did that get started anyway, and why is it allowed to continue if we are both professional healthcare providers? :confused:

sounds like another "double standard" to me. :uhoh21:

Pattiecake · Nov 28, 2004

My husband went to see a doctor for the first time and the doc used my husbnd's first name. My husband's response was "I missed what you said your first name was." The doc was too embarassed to corect himself and call my husband Mr. ___. Instead he gave my husband his first name, and they have been on a first name basis ever since.

Pat

fergus51 · Nov 29, 2004

I'm with Rene. I'll happily call docs by their formal name as long as they do the same for me. Just don't expect to use my Christian name if you won't allow me the same familiarity.

nellyd · Jan 4, 2005

Well we had a unit meeting yesterday and were informed that we are no longer allowed to refer to Surgeons, Gasmen or Assistants by their first names. We were also informed that we were not allowed to talk about anything other than our "case". Our program mangager seems to think that we are not being percieved as professional when we refer to to the guys by their first names. Some of us think that this is a retalliation because one of our more prominent surgeons has recently been written up (three times) for harrassment. We think she is in his back pocket. Whatever he needs he gets. Special attention is given to this surgeon, she is in and out of his theatre when he is working. None of our other surgeons get this kind of special attention.
Many of us feel that our department is ripped in half, morale is low. People feel like they cannot go to management with any concerns. When issues come up they are not dealt with, just lip service and no follow-through. Unit meetings are a joke. Everything is her agenda and none of our concerns. Many of us feel that this first name business is just another form of "control" that she needs to exercise over us. CRN's have no input and are never allowed to exercise their own judgement. They are never consulted, and are often "last to know" when things come up.
Just wanting to know what goes on in other O.R.s. Maybe I'm totally out of line here. I think that anything that can foster a sense of "team building" is a positive thing. When you work closely with people and establish a rapport with them I don't feel that referring to someone by the first name is a lack of respect. Thanks for letting me rant.

O.R. Australia

Good grief! Evertime I read one of these comments on the forum it is something I could have written about where I work! Obviously everyone must have the same problems world wide!

How petty your management must be, I suppose they think they are being "politically correct" when in fact they are being very politically uncorrect! I agree with another comment - how come doctors get called doctor & we get called by our first names! Seriously though - are your management determined to drag you back to the dark ages of F. Nightingale??

It makes my blood boil when I hear accusations by management of "lack of professionalism" of nurses - when have you ever heard other doctors accuse each other of this (openly)? Why do we have to constantly prove our "professionalism"? I dont think calling doctors "Doctor" will suddenly make these fictitious patients happy that we are professionals. On every survey ever done anywhere in the world, nurses are at the top of the general publics list of most trusted & valued "professions". Doctors by the way are way, way down the list (not quite as far as politicians). I dont think hospital administrators figure anywhere.

My advice is, either laugh & ask whether it is April 1st yet, or give it the attention it deserves - ie ignore it.

sharann, BSN, RN · Jan 7, 2005

I guess that once you get the name thing down you will have a perfect hospital(from admins point of view). These people need to get lives.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jan 8, 2005

Recently i started training in ENT and dental surgeries. These docs work with children and the kids call them (for example) Dr. Greg, say if, his last name were Smith. For some reason, this doesn't bother me to do, yet i feel weird calling a the general, ortho, ect. docs by their first name.

URO-RN · Jan 8, 2005

Docs call me "nurse (last name here).

When I answer the spectralink I say " Unit xyz Jo Anne (last name) RN..." Docs don't mind at all, and I don't mind if they call me Jo as long as I can call them by their first names. Otherwise, he/she is "doctor XYZ" and I am "nurse (my last name)".

To med students I go strictly by "Nurse xyz".

My fellow nurses and nursing students are the only ones allowed to call me by my first name at work.

jaimealmostRN · Jan 8, 2005

My great aunt was a nurse and we always heard patients, doctors and assistants refer to her as Nurse Jones, not by her first name. I honestly don't want some ED pts to know my last name if I can help it. But any type of doctorate degree (even Ross on 'Friends') are always called Dr. Gellar in a professional setting by both those with or without doctorates as well. But I agree, if your friends with someone, or outside work call them by their first names.