I've been an RN in Illinois since 2004 and have been at my current (non union) employer for almost 10 years. A few weeks ago we were all told that the hospital had a "great" way for us to engage with our patients more. Since we are wearing masks all the time administration thought it would be great for us to have our pictures taken and put on the wall in the patient rooms so they can "see" who is taking care of them. Several staff members on my unit are completely uncomfortable with that. Do we have any recourse? Can we be fired if we refuse?
We have our work ID badges with our pictures on them so we're not sure why we need pictures of ourselves in the patient rooms as well. A compromise would be to change our ID badges and make our pictures bigger and easier to see but that idea was rejected. We were told that our pictures being in the patient rooms was "not an option, it is mandatory".
Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.
20 minutes ago, DeeAngel said:
I won’t participate, as a woman who lives alone it’s no ones business what I look like. Many woman have reasons for keeping private thing private. Personally, I don’t give a crap about “engaging” with patients, admin can do that if they feel it is so all important.
But they already know what you look like both with the mask and without the mask since your badge likely has a picture on it, and if this was pre-pandemic they would know what you look like because the mask wouldn't be in the way.
While I think it is a dumb idea conjured up by administration, I'm just not understanding the concerns.
People see my face all day long when I’m walking around. Anything new and mandatory is annoying but your FACE isn’t a secret! It’s literally the first thing people see when you walk into a room. Unless you typically put on a full-face veil when you greet your patients.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
It's been done where I work on and off.; I did not love it. The problem is, (for them hahahaha)-----keeping up with the changes in staffing, new faces, others gone. Mgt got over it quickly. They could not keep up.
Let it go.....really there are bigger fish to fry.
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
At what was probably my last yearly evaluation at Wrongway Regional Medical Center, I discussed with my supervisor the possibility of me doing caricatures of the staff, and hanging them on the wall of a small open sitting room across from the NS.
At what was probably my last yearly evaluation at Wrongway Regional Medical Center, I discussed with my supervisor the possibility of me doing caricatures of the staff, and hanging them on the wall of a small open sitting room across from the NS.
.It is a concern for those who are having certain type of domestic issues,stalker issues,or in a witness protection program or just general safety.
.Sorry to say ,not all our patients/family are sane.
This is what was crossing my mind, you said it better than I was going to.
As mentioned before, not easy to take a picture of my badge (super old picture on there anyway). Having one on the wall where anyone with a grudge can take a shot of it when I'm not in the room and plaster it anywhere, saying anything they want? No, thank you.
We have the MDs & PAs photos on the wall in a hallway, along with managers & clinical supervisors, but not in the pt rooms and not of all the rest of us.
I see this as a good research opportunity. How effective is current tx regimens related to visual cues such as expressions. This would be applicable to staff and patients. After all the psychiatrist only spends brief periods with the patients. This is an opportunity to research objectivity re biases etc?
But?
People are biased in numerous ways. From size to weight to looks to color etc.
How does this affect the transference issues?
I see this going sideways legally quickly. A compromised patient with a readily available picture to either like more or hate more!
Some patients are sneaky. Social media issues?
I would counter the management's request with requesting written conditions and allowing feedback from staff with the medical issues of transference and psychological complications(management needs to cite previous research or this becomes expiremental) and potential for legal complications.
IMO. A very, very bad idea with no potential benefits since no previous research studies in a clinical setting to determine outcomes!
This is a potential legal nightmare and I would insist that either the hospital insurers cover the staff members or extra funds be made available for private insurance or allow conscientious objections.
As an amateur legal person, a class action, I would be able to clean up in a court room especially with a jury. I would weave a storyline so compelling I would bankrupt that hospital!
IMO if this situation actually occurred, there would be ambulance Chasers hovering like vultures!
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
On 2/4/2021 at 7:28 AM, JadedCPN said:
Its weird and another thing thought up by the suits. But I don't get why staff would have an issue with it or be uncomfortable.
I'm uncomfortable with it because I detest having my picture taken. And having been stalked in the past, I don't want my picture up where people with questionable mental stability would see it. Seems like there are people of questionable mental stability everywhere. The whole idea makes me uncomfortable.
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
As a spouse + nurse, I have a different perspective. In 2019 My husband had a respiratory arrest at home due to Pulmonary HTN, taken to local hospital then transferred to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania --limited experience with this 900+ bed facility. I found it extremely comforting to see the staff pictures posted upon entrance to the unit and able to see who was Unit Manager, Team Leader, Educator etc, unit projects + goals. Knew who to thank for great care and who to address issues with medication mismanagement which caused him partial paralysis which resolved after 2 days getting back on q6hr Baclofen regimen.
Part of the issue that I have with things like this is that nurses are always thrown under the bus. Management is not putting those pics up because they expect accolades for the nurses. Those pics are there for when patients want to assign blame or complain.
Management is also responsible for the care patients receive.Why not have pictures of the managers who understaffed the unit, so the patient has to wait to get her meds? Or pics of the manager who decided that we only need one mask per week, and are therefore possibly exposing patients to COVID?
It already annoys me that I must have a picture and my last name on my badge. I don't believe pics and last names add any security for the patient and it actually decreases security for me (at least the inclusion of my last name does).
This would make me angry if implemented at my job. My picture is already on my badge. Why do they need one in their room? Its idiotic.
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
33 minutes ago, TAKOO01 said:
My picture is already on my badge. Why do they need one in their room? Its idiotic.
One word: Accountability --- for ones actions as a professional holding a license. Just remembered that for each shift, laminated picture of assigned RN placed on clip outside patients door so correct staff contacted for patient concern by anyone who entered room.
JadedCPN, BSN, RN
1,476 Posts
But they already know what you look like both with the mask and without the mask since your badge likely has a picture on it, and if this was pre-pandemic they would know what you look like because the mask wouldn't be in the way.
While I think it is a dumb idea conjured up by administration, I'm just not understanding the concerns.