How do you address your patients?

[kool-aide, RN]

I'm curious how all of you here on AN who work in direct care address your patients?

In CNA "school" we were taught to ALWAYS address our patients by Mr. Mrs. or Ms. so-and-so but I rarely if ever do this.

My rational for how I greet my patients is that since I work night shift, many patients (for the most part) don't respond to Mr. so-and-so when they're dead asleep at 0300 and almost always respond to their first name. Also, I feel that if my patients are on a first name basis with me, I should be allowed to be on a first name basis with them. If I was a patient I would request to be called by my first name rather than "Mr. Kool-Aide." (Get it? "Mr. Kool-Aide?" Eh? Eh? lol) Furthermore, If I'm addressing the patient with their surname, should I expect them to address me as "CNA Kool-Aide?" Or should they be expected to address the nurse as "Nurse so-and-so," just as they address their doctor as "Doctor so-and-so?"

In short, I think that the intensions of this practice are good, showing our patients respect and whatnot, but can we not show them respect with our demeanor, attitude, advocacy and quality of care?

By not expecting our patients to call us by our title and last name as previously stated, does it set us up to not be respected by our patients?

I'm interested in opinions for both sides of the argument but I'm not looking to be lectured.

Keep it Holy! :)

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

I address pts by their last name, always. Unless they request I call them by their first name. If it's a teenager I ask them if I can call them by their first name. It's a matter of respect.

Pts have every reason in the world to feel helpless. They're surrounded and outnumbered. Their hospital gown is see-through. Their every bodily function is monitored and recorded. Using a last name indicates there is a boundary, at least it does for me.

Pt's call me by my first name as that is how I introduce myself.

[Mrs. SnowStormRN, RN]

Well Mr. Kool-aid, as I am a big fan of yours and so I will call you Mr. Kool-aid - because Kool-aid is delicious, but not nutritious. haha! jk! Anyhow, I call everybody sir and ma'am, because I am country as all heck and since being here in the North Ive learned - people dont like that because it makes them feel "old." I just thought it was respectful. In beginning introductions (and when not knowing the patient well) I say Mr/Ms (last name here), and sometimes they will say "just call me John." and I will say "okay Mr. John." LoL! I just think it depends on where youre from, and where you are. I have a hard time calling older people by their 1st name without putting Mr/Ms in front of it, thats just the way I was raised. But of course if Im working in peds I wont call my patients Mr/Ms, but otherwise I always do - I cant control myself. LoL! It just always comes out that way, even when they ask me to call them by their 1st name, Mr/Ms always comes out ahead of it.

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

I have found that initially addressing them as Mr, Mrs, etc sets a tone of respect, and then as time goes by we usually end up on first name basis. If you start with respect you can never go wrong.

Sometimes the respectful address is continued for the whole time, but I work ER, not LTC. Since my badge only says my first name the pts don't know what else to call me but nurse. I am okay with this as I am there to serve them. If I start the interaction respectfully then things go well.

[RNTOBE_1970]

In the south, seldom does anyone call you by your last name, but will address you as Ms. Jane or Mr. Joe. In LPN school we were taught to never use pet names to address anyone as it was disrespectful.

[Up2nogood RN, RN]

It's simple. I introduce myself by first name and ask what I may call them. One of my pet peeves is people who mispronounce another's name so I make sure to ask for proper pronunciation. My other pet peeve are those that call pts "sweety" or "honey" when they don't know them well enough. Come on people, be professional and take the time to learn your pts name.

ETA: if the pt can't communicate I address them formally as Mr. or Mrs. Jones out of respect unless I hear otherwise from a family member.

[systoly]

Initially, with Mr./Mrs./Ms Smith or, if applicable, with title (Dr. Smith). The patient says, "call me Jane", I will address her Ms Jane, pt says, "I don't like that, just call me Jane", I'll say something like, "Oh, but you are much more to me than just a Jane", (depending on the pt.'s condition I'll throw in how about my lady Jane, my lady?) same goes for guys, "call me Bill", "yes, Sir William", if patient insists on first name than that's the way to address them. When I introduce myself, I use my full name, but offer my nickname, because it's so much easier to remember (and pronounce).

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

When I first go into see my patients, I say "Good morning Mr. A. My name is Ashley and I'll be your nurse until x time today. What name do you prefer to be called?" Then I address them in the way they prefer. This works for patients with long or odd first names too. Many patients prefer to be called by a nickname. I once took care of a Beatrice who prefered Bunny. Asking the patient what name they wants to use helps you create a more comfortable relationship with them and takes away any guessing about using Mr. or Mrs.

That was during clinicals. I work in peds now, so I call the kids by their first name. Parents are Mr. and Ms. unless they state otherwise.

[Heidi the nurse, BSN, RN]

I work in the school system so almost always call the kids by their first name, but every once in awhile will call them Mr So and So if they are really well known to me (I am not in one school, so only really know the kids with medical conditions that I need to monitor). And I have called some of my kids in special programs "Miss So and So" or "Mr So and So"

When I worked in other settings it would depend. Started off with Mr or Mrs and let them call the shots after that.

As to nick names - my ex MIL was "Bunny" too - she introduced herself as Bunny, not her given name. I surely would address her as such if she were a patient unknown to me.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

I call them Mr. or Ms. unless they request differently. The fact that they address me by my first name is irrelevant-particularly since name tags at our facility do not include last names. It says "Nancy", then underneath, "RN." So they really have no other option.

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

Totally depends. If it's the first time I'm meeting someone, it's almost always 'Ms. Jones'. As the night wears on, it usually progresses to a first-name basis. I work mother-baby/antepartum, though. So my patients are usually more or less my age and are okay with first names. The few times I've had doctors that I've worked with as patients, I've asked them how they want me to address them; invariably, it's "Call me Susie, and talk to me like I'm a new mom, not like I'm a doctor." We tend to bond with our long-term antepartums and before long we're on a first name basis with them as well.

When I'm in the nursery, I use 'sweetie' and 'honey' all the time. The newborns don't seem to think it's disrespectful. Sometimes I even call them 'stinker' and they still don't seem to mind. :)

[MC1906]

I start out by introducing myself and then reading the name of the patient as what is stated on their arm band. We have whiteboards in our hospital, and the patient's preferred name is also written on the board. Asking the patient what they like to be called is a great way to involve the patient and not make a mistake.