Last Name on ID Badges

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For YEARS we have had only our first name on our hospital badges (only in the ER and Psych floors), the rest of the hospital uses full names. This week we were told we MUST wear badges with our first and last names because it is against the law! (Note the Dept. of Health was visiting) Is this true??????

For YEARS we have had only our first name on our hospital badges (only in the ER and Psych floors), the rest of the hospital uses full names. This week we were told we MUST wear badges with our first and last names because it is against the law! (Note the Dept. of Health was visiting) Is this true??????

I've NEVER heard of it being against the law. In our ED, all staff excluding physicians and PAs have first name, last initial, credentials, and department (emergency dept in our case) as well as our mugshot on our badges. I much prefer that, considering we house the only inpatient psych facility, and are a high-traffic city for parolees. I have worked where they put your last name on your badge, and I generally find a small, cute sticker to place strategically over all but my last initial. Tape works well, also.

:)

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Specializes in CT ,ICU,CCU,Tele,ED,Hospice.

i agree with alkelidi i don't believe its against the law .e as nurses have a right to our privacy as well .my whole hospital have badges with 1st name last initial and our credentials with our px.i work in the ed .i have never liked having my last name on my badge .i always introduce myself as me 1st name only and tell them i am their nurse.if a pt needed to know my name ie lawsuit etc in the course of the legal process i am sure it would be provide.

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Specializes in Critical Care,Recovery, ED.

It actually depends on what state you are in. Some require it as a matter of regulation and others do not. There is no correct answer to this as you are balancing the safety of the individuals care giver vs the right of the patient to know.

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It actually depends on what state you are in. Some require it as a matter of regulation and others do not. There is no correct answer to this as you are balancing the safety of the individuals care giver vs the right of the patient to know.

Again, I can't recall ever seeing or hearing any "hard" information, other than the widespread belief within nursing, that having your last name on your badge is any riskier than not having it on the badge. I don't see how we can even talk about this as a "safety" issue without some evidence that using your last name is, demonstrably, more dangerous than not using it. As far as I'm concerned (and it's only my personal opinion), the only thing this practice does is make us look unprofessional.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
i agree with alkelidi i don't believe its against the law .e as nurses have a right to our privacy as well .my whole hospital have badges with 1st name last initial and our credentials with our px.i work in the ed .i have never liked having my last name on my badge .i always introduce myself as me 1st name only and tell them i am their nurse.if a pt needed to know my name ie lawsuit etc in the course of the legal process i am sure it would be provide.

I don't think that your last name would be protected under "right to privacy". Last names are very clearly public information.

I don't know any doctors, lawyers, CPAs, and so on that refuse to use their last name- and all three of those professions are just as likely to have crazy or stalker-type clients.

We have our first name under our picture, then at the bottom our first initial and last name followed by our acronym soups.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Only children and pets don't have last names . . .

Professionals DO have last names. Otherwise, we are first-named nobodies; we are walk-on roles in health care and not marquee'd stars.

~faith,

Timothy.

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I work in a forensic hospital. Historically we were not required to have last names on our IDS. State law now requires last names on badges for health care workers.

On a semirelated matter is the question about putting your name and address in the phone book. I have always had my name/address in the book. Other coworkers use name# only. My philosophy has been to treat patients fairly and with respect. I have never had a problem. (If a patient wants to find you they will regardless of being listed or not.)

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I think it is a law. I remember we learned about it in school and our hospital has it in orientation...the louis blackman law I think is was its called. The pt has the right to know who is taking care of them. Something to do with a child who died and the mother thinking someone was a doctor who wasnt...I forget exactly now...Im terrible arent I LOL? So I dont know if its just a SC law or what.

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Specializes in Emergency, neonatal, pediatrics.

Are you working at a PA hospital? I'm just curious because I hadn't heard that. I've worked at two ERs (in Pittsburgh and now Hershey) and the norm is *not* to have your last name on the badge. I questioned it back when I was a runt, and of course the answer was "safety." Did your facility come up with that rule or was it really the DOH saying that?

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Only children and pets don't have last names? What the heck does that mean?

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Only children and pets don't have last names? What the heck does that mean?

It means that we diminish our status when we refuse to use our last names.

We can't simultaneously claim to be professionals AND the anonymous help.

~faith,

Timothy.

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