How do you protect your identity?

[mcknis]

Just curious what methods you all use in order to protect yourself while at work?

I'll start:

I try to keep my last name secret to my patients and block out my last name on my badge as well.

[JaSuMi]

It was my understanding that your identity has to be made known to protect your patients, our hospital does not allow you to cover your last name on a name badge and our nursing school also did not allow it including in our psych rotation. The patient has to be able to identify you and can also make a complaint about you to the BRN.

[kwamekat1984]

i will always not tell the full name of me to the patients

[BellaCerraRN]

i will always not tell the full name of me to the patients

In Texas if they ask your full name you are required to give it to them.

[Heather, R.N.]

the only one of my nurses I have a decent amout of info on is one of my OR nurses. She had treated me so well that I sent her a letter at the hospital. I sent it to

Colleen (the OR nurse who took care of Meg "last name" on "date")

I then got a christmas card from her that year with her full name and home address. We now exchange christmas cards each year. I personally would not do anything, and appreciated her care and wanted to tell her origanally.

Now I have actually seen her once since the surgery. I was waiting for surgery and she was in the waiting room because her daughter was having surgery. Even in the stressful time in her life she took time to show her care. So I now exchange cards with her and am happy that she felt confident enough to give me her address.

That's a sweet story. I know, as a nurse, I always appreciate receiving an extra thanks from a patient or family member (especially a deceased pt's family member- that's the ultimate compliment for me). I became a nurse because of my L&D nurse from 7 years ago. We now work at the same hospital (where I delivered) and they are talking about wanting to do a big story about it. The other thing is that a patient can impact a nurse's life just as much a nurse can impact a patient!

[Dempather, RN]

This is a weird topic. I live in a very large city. My hospital has first and last names on our badges. I have an unusual name(per say), and patient's usually comment and we have a good laugh. Nonetheless, I've never felt threatened. Ignoring their question of what my last name is seems dodgy. Don't the patients have a right to know who's treating them? Is everybody doing this to protect their license (not from theft, but having a lawsuit)?

This reminds me of a time one doctor told me to scribble my name on a consent... because then it's almost impossible to distinguish who signed it in the event that a lawsuit forms.

[twotrees2]

i've been stalked -- both by former patients and by staff. i'm glad that's never happened to you, but you may want to consider the possibility, especially if you work in er or psych.

the prison i work at uses last names- it sucks cause eventually in the infirmary they end up with your first names and can put them together. some of the nurses have had inmates that get out call them - and family members waiting outside for them. its insane- it shoudl be "nurse deb or sally" not nurse smith or jones in the prison especially in my opinion.