Name Badges

bestblondRN · Feb 15, 2003

Originally posted by regnursein99
Interesting thoughts.....esp the one about HIPAA.

What about this one: My facility is on a big thingy about "customer satisfaction" and has a big push to the staff that if you are named in a survey by a recent patient, you earn recognition awards. What you get is based on the number of times your name gets mentioned. You get free meals in the cafeteria (actually a good thing as ours is wonderful food generally speaking), gift certificates to local restaurants, merchandise certificates, cash, etc.

Is it worth the "show off" pins you get and the cash awards to know that the patients all have your full name? My last name is unusual for this area and all the people listed in the phone book are related to me.

I have raised this issue to our safety & security people.....have not heard any answer yet.

What do you think about this? (Press-Ganey is our god)

I think you bring up a great point, which is those places that encourage staff to make certain that patients and families know the caregiver's name in full so that feedback can be given on a more personal level. I have actually seen nurses fall all over each other trying to impress a VIP--making SURE that the patient and/or family had their full names and titles. It shouldn't become a contest among staff to win "points" in order to get those little perks from administration.

As far as the name badge issue, I have never had harassing calls from former patients, but I've had patients or their families threaten bodily harm or harm to my property at various times (generally when they weren't getting or hearing what they wanted--I think we all know they type). I have worked for a couple of places now that used only first names on badges for this very reason, and it was reassuring when it happened that they didn't have my full name. I have to agree that our safety and right to privacy should be as well protected as the patients'.

Just my $.02...........

ShelleyERgirl, LPN · Feb 15, 2003

Okay guys , this is slightly off subject but... one of the nurses I work with forgot her name badge one day. I work in an internal medicine office. My friend had just finished taking an older patient's BP and was starting to walk out of the room when his wife started saying something to her about his meds. She goes " Now Cherokee what about his refill on his Diovan?" Silence from my friend. Again, this elderly woman goes "Excuse me Cherokee what about my husband's medicine?" Now my friend's name is Julie. We finally figured out that the woman saw the embroidered Cherokee brand name stitched on her top and thought that was her name! We laughed our a$$es off and everytime that woman comes in, I always make a point to call Julie

Cherokee in front of her and Julie calls me Landau!:chuckle

mamabear · Feb 17, 2003

One of the few things my employer does that makes sense is having first name, title, and department only on the front of our ID badges, under our smiling faces: Mamabear RN, Behavioral Medicine.

I've never had a patient telephone me at home, because I've had an unlisted/unpublished number for 17 years.

INTEVA · Feb 18, 2003

The way I see it; @ least the patient gets the correct spelling if they want to praise you or report you when they are mailed the patient survey after discharge.The photo ID tag @ our facility is not very easy to see & first & last name & title is included. I was thinking of adding my original name badge I received when I started my employ 26 yrs. ago @ same facility. It has first & last name & title in big , bold letters. Some of the employees have worn them all along in addition to the photo ID.

The only phone calls I've ever received were from family members or people in the community I know very well that happen to go to the hospital where I'm employed. I live in a small town & the hospital is very small also so there has never been a problem. Every now & then we do get some weirdos & some of the girls voice their concerns but we can be lucky nothing has come of it. We were also told we are required to have our badge visible & be sure to tell the patient who we are; so I really don't know what we can really do about it.

MarcusKspn · Feb 18, 2003

As far as I know, we are required to wear our full name and title no our name-tag's. ( I live in oklahoma). I think this is a requirerment by the BON here. That way a patients knows who took care of them of who did not take care of them. If there is an abuse problem the patient is able to tell who did it.

KSSRN · Feb 22, 2003

In the hospital where I work, our badges have our title (RN/LPN) in large letters in the upper right hand corner. Our first name is written in large black letters in the middle of the badge with our picture off to one side. Our full name and other credentials are listed on the bottom but it is small and difficult to read. I'm don't understand why your hospital feels the need to put your full name on your badge and agree it is a concern.

baseline · Feb 23, 2003

Our badges have our first names very large and the last name in very small print underneath with our title in Large red print.

froglady · Mar 4, 2003

I have had this happen to me. Just the other night after I quit my job, my phone rang and it was one of my patients from the nursing. The other nurse gave her my private number, I will have a talk with the other nurse.

What makes matters worse, in the nursing home the schedule usually ends up in view for everyone to see. But my position required me put my number, private or not on the schedule. WE have discussed this, but to no avail.

Vicki K · Mar 4, 2003

Not only have I had patients calling me at home, but I've been stalked twice. Once was a mental patient while I was still in nursing school -- he used to climb the tree outside my bedroom window and hang out. I called the police several times, but this was 25+ years ago, and they just didn't take it all that seriously. They never even showed up. When I graduated, I moved away and that was the last I heard of him! The other time, it was a CCU patient who decided he wanted to date me. He called me at home, at work, on another unit when I floated and -- this one REALLY scared me -- at my friend's house. Her husband finally got on the line and informed the guy that if I heard from him again, he'd take legal action. (I didn't hear from him again!) Currently, a former patient is trying to get in touch with my husband and is leaving frequent messages on our answering machine. This time, it doesn't scare me, but it is irritating!

Vicki

tigger86334 · Mar 4, 2003

Every place I have ever worked we only have our first names on the front of our badges and a last name on the back. Working in ER's for most of my nursing it only makes sense. We also never give a last name to any patient or family member even if it is for a written KUDO. :eek:

PCU-RN · Mar 4, 2003

Our hospital recently made last names optional on badges for security reasons and we are in a small county in mid Florida. A few years ago I had a patient who was the father of my son's friend from high school. He recognized the last name. He was admitted for a-fib with rvr and was in sr when discharged. Two nights later I received a call from his wife saying that his heart rate was fast again and wanting to know if I had any quick "home remedies" to slow it down because he was going for a new job physical in the morning and was "sure to fail" when they checked his heart rate. While my phone is unlisted, they got my number from their son. I told them that there was no quick fix, but since they kept pressing me for an answer, I'm sure that they didn't believe me. I told them that they needed to let their doctor know asap, but they were more concerned with passing the physical and getting the job. Not sure what happened, never heard from them again. I prefer to remain anonymous at work.

night owl · Mar 4, 2003

Had an incident happen at work one day...I was smoking right outside the front door because it was too cold to stand the 25' from the building where the ashtray is located (next to the road). A very distinguished black man whom I've never seen before walked up the stairs so I held the door open for him. He says to me, "Are you smoking?" I said "Yes." He bends down to read my name on my ID Badge and says, "Hmmm B****t huh?" Meanwhile I'm holding the door open for this man and he walked into the building. I'm thinking,"Oh great now I'm going to get a fine for smoking right in front of the building and not out in the road!" I never did though. Think I'll put that tape over my last name from now on.