Name Badges

melsay, LPN · Feb 13, 2003

Originally posted by susanmary
Mangement doesn't back you up? I'd still fill out a report each and every time and keep a copy. I don't know what your recourse is -- but I think it's terrible. I'd let risk management know what is happening. I would never give advice from home -- you are not "on the clock" and you will not be covered from your facility. Hang in there -- I'm guessing that you will get some great advice from fellow posters on this subject. Sue

Noway!! Management doesn't back us w/ anything that doesn't have to do w/ bringing $$ into the practice. I never give advice on ANYTHING from home, I simply tell them to contact me at the office, or if emergent to go directly to the ER.

Risk management , thank you for that idea. I will speak to them, maybe I can get somewhere....thanks!

jemb · Feb 13, 2003

Don't list your phone #. I've always had an unlisted #, even before I became a nurse. It only costs about $1.25/month.

or

Use an answering machine to screen your calls.

or

Use caller ID.

or

Tell them they've reached a wrong #. After all, they were trying to reach on-duty medical personnel!

melsay, LPN · Feb 13, 2003

Originally posted by mother/babyRN
On my badge, I put a piece of tape over my last name if I am concerned...

We tried that, thought we were getting around the rule "always have to wear your name badge". We were told that is not "appropriate", but patients calling us at home is?????

No response to that from management.

igloorn93 · Feb 13, 2003

Being that I work with the Mentally Ill, I have an un-listed telephone number. The small cost of being un-listed is worth it for the piece of mind that it gives me. At our hospital, I have seen nurses who either put a strip of white tape or a sticker or some such over their last name. I would certainly notify administration if I received calls at home though. Best of luck to you.

fab4fan · Feb 13, 2003

Our ED manager successfully argued to admin. that we should just have our first names and licensure only, which makes me happy since we have to deal with drunks being brought in by the police for BAL's, people from the local prison, etc.

My # is unlisted anyway, but these days, you can find just about anybody on the net.

melsay, LPN · Feb 13, 2003

Originally posted by jemb
Don't list your phone #. I've always had an unlisted #, even before I became a nurse. It only costs about $1.25/month.

or

Use an answering machine to screen your calls.

or

Use caller ID.

or

Tell them they've reached a wrong #. After all, they were trying to reach on-duty medical personnel!

I had it unlisted 2 months ago, they have slowed down, the only ones calling now are the ones that had my # prior. No matter how many times you tell some ppl something, they think they are the exception, you all know the type I'm sure.....

I have a 13 yr old daughter that thinks she has to answer EVERY call...

I have caller ID and Voice mail, which does stop a lot of them, but not all.....

**SKM-NURSIEPOOH, BSN, RN** · Feb 13, 2003

you mean to tell me that people actually *look* you-up in the white pages & *call* you at home? the nerve of them...lunatics...they have to be lunatics! this wouldn't even cross my mind! that is scarry because next thing you know...someone will be waiting for you to leave or come home...then what?

the first thing to do is change your current number, then pay whatever your phone company wants per month to keep you out of the phone book...that's number one.

as far as nurses having to display their full name on their badges...you may have something there. physicians usually have dr. smith, do/md written on their lab coats without their first name...just their sir name is used. maybe hospitals ought to do the same with nurses. perhaps our name badges should read: nsg smith, lpn/rn. maybe we should stop introducing ourselves by our first names as well...maybe we'll get some respect from other health care professionals...just a thought.

cheers!

moe

p.s. you really should think about either having your phone number changed & keep it out of the book.

hapeewendy · Feb 13, 2003

jeebus, I cant offer any suggestions cuz I AM FLOORED that ppl are looking you up and calling you at home

THAT is the stuff nightmares are made of

lordy....

Our name badges have our first and last names on them too , and I want it changed.. .mind you I have a very common last name so they'd be lucky to ever find me, plus my # is unlisted but here the public can always call the college of nurses and get the dirt on us..

good thing I look like a scary "most wanted" criminal on my name badge, ppl will think twice about calling hapeewendy at home lemme tell ya

seriously for a moment, you need to go to whomever you can to address this , whatever it takes, this could affect your safety and mental wellbeing at some point..

good luck

sjoe · Feb 13, 2003

"Maybe we should stop introducing ourselves by our first names as well...maybe we'll get some respect from other health care professionals...just a thought. "

And an appropriate thought at that. Hired help is called by first names. Professionals by their last names.

So far as name badges are concerned, I initially preferred having only my last name on mine, but with all the other nurses calling me by my first name, any inmates or patients are able to then know both names. So my name badge has my first name on it (which, of course, defeats the "professionalism" notion above). The next corrections job I take, I will have an unlisted number.

I would be VERY firm about anyone calling me at home, would NOT give them any kind of medical advice, and would make it VERY clear that all our contacts will be made only at work.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Feb 13, 2003

We wear out badges at all times, except when we enter a inmates room. We take it off. We did actually have a couple nurses who an inmate attempted to contact after they were dishcharged back to the prison. SCARY, but a call to the warden got him a few months tacked on to his time and he never tried that again. We do encourage our patients to refer to us by our first names, and out badges reflect that. I havent ever had a patient call me at home, not yet anyway, and dont know that i would deal with it very well either. However, i do have friends that seem to think im a free clinic as far as their famlies symptoms go. My standard answer is "hmmm,, maybe you should go to ER or call your doctor in the morning and see what he thinks". I wont even go farther, because i know if i go farther, they will be the one in the doctors office quoting me, and im a nurse, and ........ ........... No way,, not falling into that trap.

Lausana · Feb 13, 2003

OMG! I can't imagine what would ever warrent calling you at home?! In addition to the unlisted number/call screen advice you can call block numbers. USE IT! It's well worth whatever it costs a month.

On second thought, next time some wierdo calls, give them the name of one of the deaf administrators to look up and call and see how they enjoy that. :rolleyes:

RNonsense · Feb 13, 2003

Our name badges have our first name and whatever designation ( ie RN, LPN, etc) on the front, then our full name on the backs. I would never permit a patient to know my last name!