Last names on ID badges and retaliation by patients

[ICRN2008]

I am a nursing student who would like input on her school's policy on ID badges. We are currently required to display our full first and last name on our name tags at our clinical sites.

I contend that this is a significant safety risk to me and my fellow students, especially in light of recent incidents of violence against health care workers.

Would you be willing to share your stories with me? I am specifically looking for instances where a patient or visitor found out your last name and was able to harass you as a result. I may share a few of these anecdotes in my presentation, so please let me know if I can include your story.

I am aware of an OSHA document that recommends against the use of last names on ID badges. Do you know of any other news or scholarly articles I can present to them.

Thank you all for your help :)

[BabyRN2Be]

If you don't want people to be able to look you up, it's a good idea to get an unlisted number/address. If someone really wants to know where you live all they have to do is follow you from the hospital.

Fortunately I don't know any nurses who have been stalked in any way outside of work by patients/family members. I have always thought patients had the right to know who their caregivers were.

It currently costs us some $3/mo to have an unlisted phone number. This is the only way that I'd put my last name on my ID badge. Fortunately, our hospital doesn't force personnel to have last names on ID badges. If I didn't have the unlisted phone number, there's no way my surname's going on an ID badge. I *know* personally of someone who was enamored by a patient and was getting calls at home by said patient, all because the patient looked up the employee's name in the phone book.

[James Huffman]

I think the issue of professionalism certainly comes into play here. If nurses want the professional respect and standing that physicians have, going by first name is not the way to do it.

People in professional or business settings are normally known as Mr. or Ms. Jones, or whatever. We don't identify adults by their first name. We call children by their first name, and sometimes adults we consider "beneath" us. But someone we respect is known by their last name. If we wish to be identified by our first name, because of some over-blown fear of harassment, we should not be surprised that we are not treated as professional colleagues.

Jim Huffman, RN

[allele, LPN]

I have to agree with other posters that if someone REALLY wants to find out where you live they can.......but it would be SO much easier for those people if your last name is on your I.D. badge!! We used to have our last names on our badges, but a few nurses voiced some concern over this, basically saying that the E.D. nurses and the psych nurses weren't required to have their last names on their badges, only the first initial to their last name with their first name and title. I work on a unit that takes the same patients that those same E.D. nurses take care of, and we get psych patients, too, to stabilize them after their suicide attempts. It didn't make sense that some nurses had the right not to have their last name on their badges but we were required to, regardless of the fact we took care of some of the same patients!! Anyway, problem was solved when we got a contract with a local prison. People just didn't wear their name tags in the room until we got our last name off of them, and it did happen. Anyway, check out the policy at the hospitals your doing your clinicals in....if the nurses wear their last names on their badges, I think your argument will be significantly weakened, unfortunately. If their last names are not given, bring this to the attention of the director of your program....it may help. Good luck, keep us posted!!

[RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN]

I think that if that's the case, then a special ID # should be given out. That way it saves us from having our last names on our badges, and it still easily identifies us. For example, Joe S. RN #2245.

I agree. This is exactly what I posted earlier in the first page.:)

[barefootlady, ADN, RN]

I usually only have my first name, and RN on my employee badge. I have an unlisted number, my address is obscure, and NO ONE has my permission to give out any phone numbers I list as contact numbers. No, I am not paranoid, I have a right to privacy. I do my job, I make my own decisions as to whom I want to associate with outside of work. I have had contact with some patients outside of work, others NO WAY am I interested in any contact with them or their familiy. It can be difficult here in my rural area, but it can be done.

[Someday-C.R.N.A.]

I agree with Mr. Huffman on this one.

Joe Shmoe, RN should have a name tag that reads:

"Nurse Shmoe RN"

...........I plan to introduce myself to my patients this way, and will expect EVERYONE to respect my professional title while I'm at work.

[fergus51]

I think the issue of professionalism certainly comes into play here. If nurses want the professional respect and standing that physicians have, going by first name is not the way to do it.

People in professional or business settings are normally known as Mr. or Ms. Jones, or whatever. We don't identify adults by their first name. We call children by their first name, and sometimes adults we consider "beneath" us. But someone we respect is known by their last name. If we wish to be identified by our first name, because of some over-blown fear of harassment, we should not be surprised that we are not treated as professional colleagues.

Jim Huffman, RN

I completely agree. I prefer to be called by my first name, but I introduce myself using both. If my colleagues want me to call them by their last names as a sign of respect I do so, and have them call me by my last name as well. Many of my Spanish speaking patients use my last name as a sort of term of endearment when they find out I am trying to learn Spanish (Ola, Seniorita Fergus...").

For the people who don't want patients to know their last name: do your patients have a right to see their charts? Ours do. Since the nurses full names are in there it seems like hiding them on our name tags would be a waste of time for us. Maybe that's why I don't see the big deal about the name tags.

[nialloh, RN]

If you wonder what you can do with a last name, try this out.

http://www.zabasearch.com/

[Larry77, RN]

If you wounder what you can do with a last name, try this out.

http://www.zabasearch.com/

A lot of good my unlisted number does me...grrr

[grace90, LPN, LVN]

Our hospital does not require last names on the badges. In fact, it's discouraged for staff who work in patient care areas. I don't feel that makes us any less professional.

I don't think patients need to know our last names.

[renerian, BSN, RN]

I had several home health patients look my name up in the phone book and call me. UH I was not happy.

renerian

[RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN]

If you wounder what you can do with a last name, try this out.

http://www.zabasearch.com/

Amazing, DOB and all :stone