Giving last name in report

[DaveICURN]

In school, I was taught to chart the first initial, last name, and license of the nurse receiving Pt care.

This was explained that if the chart was called into court and I gave report to Brittany RN Anywhereville, Hospital, that there may be multiple people of this name at the same date and time report was given.

This has been my norm for report, and I have only recently ran into opposition. While giving report I, as usual, requested the nurses name for posterity. It's been a favorite of mine since the princess bride. The nurse, in no uncertain, terms reported "I'm not obligated to give my last name." I paused, then gave my last name and gave report. So I noted first name, hospital, and unit.

My question,

What is your opinion on giving last names for report?

I have heard the concern of the nurse on the other side being a "creep" and stalking the nurse. So safety I understand. Just want second opinions on my own understanding.

[DaveICURN]

Does this moron not realize that their last name is in the chart?

The receiving nurse was at another facility. Having no idea of their EHR, or the nurses position, this seems a necessary precaution.

[Susie2310]

In my job, I make a lot of phone calls to insurance companies and other healthcare companies. I record all of this in the appropriate patient's chart. Generally, for these calls we ask for the other persons first name and last initial (and sometimes a call reference number).

It is much easier to reliably spell "Charlene G." than "C. Ghorkenski", and it does the job of allowing someone else to go back and say "No, at this date/time, the nurse here at the hospital spoke with Charlene G., who said that the new medication was approved."

It's too difficult to ask the person to spell their last name? Anyone with a question regarding your note who needs to contact Charlene G first has to discover who that person is, and you're saying it's too much trouble to make it easier for them by documenting the person's last name? How does that promote continuity of patient care or patient safety?

What if the patient or their representative wants to know the full name of a person involved in their care in order to ask legitimate questions? They have to go to considerably extra trouble to find out who Charlene G is, and are much more likely to get fobbed off in the course of their inquiry.

[Susie2310]

It's pretty obvious to me that providing only a first name followed by a licensure in the patient's medical record makes it much harder for anyone reviewing the chart to determine who the individual nurse caring for the patient was. The patient or their representative would have to go to a lot more trouble to find out the full name of the licensed nurse caring for them at a given time. People seem to be saying that they do this because it's more convenient, but my belief is that lack of clarity is preferred by some.

I guess when I or my family member are a patient, I will have to make sure I ask the nurse at the beginning of their shift for their full name.

Health care facilities make big efforts to reduce systems errors, and this appears to be another opportunity for some facilities to reduce errors caused by lack of clarity in the medical record as to who the patient's nurse is/was at a given point in time.

Would a Professional Safety Nurse care to respond?

[wondern, ASN]

I agree with Susie2310 wholeheartedly. Not giving your last name or signing a chart with your first name only seems totally ignorant. It's a blatant lack of accountability, professionalism, legality, etc.

I would not work in a place that thinks my work is as important as signing only my first name.

What did Forests' mom tell him, "Stupid is as stupid does!"?

It's not like I'm your cable tv customer service rep and won't give my last name.

I certainly hope to never be a patient in a popsicle stand like that!

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

I guess when I or my family member are a patient, I will have to make sure I ask the nurse at the beginning of their shift for their full name.

I'm curious to know what percentage of nurses would give out that information without further prodding...I know of nurses that would fall on their swords rather than give out their last names. Not saying it's right to not give out a last name, but they are under this misguided belief that a patient/family will never know their last names if they themselves [the nurses] cover it up on their name badges and then do not reveal it to patients.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

I agree with Susie2310 wholeheartedly. Not giving your last name or signing a chart with your first name only seems totally ignorant. It's a blatant lack of accountability, professionalism, legality, etc.

I never did understand why nurses thought that they had a special right to not have their last names known (with certain limited exceptions, such as psych). To go back to a discussion a while ago on AN, would a judge be able to sentence someone to life in prison and say "I am Judge Frank...you don't get to know my last name?" Could a doctor say "I am going to do you heart surgery. I am Dr. Lisa--my last name is not important? Then why is it a nurse can, who is about to push a paralytic or some other potential dangerous med can say "I am nurse Sally, you don't get to know my last name." Someone can make whatever arguments they want about stalking and about not knowing what crazy lengths a patient will go to, but, sorry, a patient has a right to know the name of the person caring for them.

[cleback]

In my setting, it would be overkill. Nurses sign in and out, are documenting throughout the shift... if there is ever a legal case, everyone's name will be clearly visible.

I also do a lot of telephone communication on my other job. If I need exact information that is critical for care, I ask for a fax, which will have names on it.

The only situation I could see where you'd want a first and last name documented is if you are getting someone from the er... and it's a particularly crazy night so another nurse who has not been involved in care, calls report to the floor. Happens on occasion but they usually don't advertise it either. That's a sketchier situation where you may want to document who exactly gave you report.

[Susie2310]

I'm curious to know what percentage of nurses would give out that information without further prodding...I know of nurses that would fall on their swords rather than give out their last names. Not saying it's right to not give out a last name, but they are under this misguided belief that a patient/family will never know their last names if they themselves [the nurses] cover it up on their name badges and then do not reveal it to patients.

I ask the nurse, "Could you please tell me your full name so that we know the name of the nurse who is caring for me/my family member?" I ask the nurse to spell their first and last names. If the nurse prevaricates, I mention that we have the legal right to know the full name of the nurse providing care for me/my family member. If the nurse is still not forthcoming with their full name, the next step is to ask to talk to the Charge nurse, and so on.

[LovingLife123]

I guess that me signing into my charting and charting my assessment should show I'm caring for the patient. Do you chart who you hand off report to while on break?

Who is responsible for the patient while you exchange report?

To me it seems silly. I click on a box that I have reviewed the chart with the other nurse before they leave. It takes me one second to do.

Maybe my system is as bad as I thought it was. I read too many instances of people charting detailed notes. I click boxes and only add a note if absolutely needed. Nothing more, nothing less.

[LovingLife123]

I ask the nurse, "Could you please tell me your full name so that we know the name of the nurse who is caring for me/my family member?" I ask the nurse to spell their first and last names. If the nurse prevaricates, I mention that we have the legal right to know the full name of the nurse providing care for me/my family member. If the nurse is still not forthcoming with their full name, the next step is to ask to talk to the Charge nurse, and so on.

Please provide the law that states I must give anyone my last name? I have never ever given a patient my last name.

If there is a question with my care and a patient decides to sue, their lawyer can get all my pertinent info from my employer. I know of no law that requires me to reveal my full name to patients.

[socal1]

You have never ever given a patient your last name? Do you guys wear badges at your hospital? Or do you work at a pysch ward? I am pretty sure all of the nurses that work in hospitals in CA must wear badges that identify who they are, now in a mental health facility/er they may put tape over the last name portion but every where else it must be shown...

[Susie2310]

Please provide the law that states I must give anyone my last name? I have never ever given a patient my last name.

If there is a question with my care and a patient decides to sue, their lawyer can get all my pertinent info from my employer. I know of no law that requires me to reveal my full name to patients.

I was taught in nursing school that a patient has the legal right to know the first and last name of the nurse caring for them. If a patient or their representative requests to know my full name, I am required by law to tell them this, and they are not required to go through my employer to obtain this information. To my knowledge, this applies in other states too, as Muno mentioned. In the case of an RN, a patient or member of the public has the independent right to file a complaint about a Registered Nurse with their state Board of Registered Nursing, whose main role is the protection of the public. Nurses licensure information is posted online on their state BON web site for the protection of the PUBLIC. A patient or member of the public has the independent right to look up my licensure information. In order to look up my licensure information, they need to know my first and last name. My first and last name are not private information if I am working in my professional role as a licensed nurse, and anyone who knows my name and knows I am a nurse can look up my license.