Am I the only one that is bothered by this? I see so many healthcare professionals, nurses, aides, etc. who, either intentionally or unintentionally, wear their name badges backwards. It bothers me both as a co-worker and when I am the patient. I know that some people do it because they don't want people knowing their names, but honestly, how are you supposed to work with someone or be cared for by someone who you don't even know by name? I don't think that last names should be displayed on a name badge, especially in this crazy world that we live in today, but I think that to display your first name, job title, and photo ID should be required. In most facilities, this technically is a requirement, yet still, half the employees will have their name badge on backwards. Call me paranoid, but if someone comes into my room when I'm the patient and wants to do a procedure on me, I want to be able to tell right away who they are and what their job title is. Ditto when a co-worker shows up to take one of my patients somewhere or to assist me with the patient's care.
Like someone had said earlier- I work at a Level 1 Trauma Center, so I choose to be paranoid about my uncommon last name (my family is the only one in PA). Also- My real name is Anna (which is what it says on my badge) and my parents dont even call me that, so to avoid confusion when I tell people my name is Annie, I wear my badge inside a pocket. Anyway- there is a website that makes really nice name badges, Teddy's Rainbow, Inc. and most of our nurses wear these nametags with our first name and credentials. It is very easy to see my name, and that i am an RN, in fact I find more patients remember my name this way.
I don't know, there are dozens of other things that goes on in the nursing world and in hospitals that frustrate me. To me, name tags and uniforms debates are silly arguments and are part of the reason I don't really respect nurses anymore.
BTW, you don't have to be on Facebook to have all kinds of personal information about you available at the click of a mouse. .
Yup, can look up nurses in my state on the public license verification page and there's our address and phone number. We have our last names on our badges, but I'd rather we didn't. I'm thankfully in a low risk area. When I did adults, I made sure only first name was showing. I enter the room, tell them my name, put my name on the board. If they need more than that, they're welcome to come back to the hospital to get the chart. But I can understand why many want to make it a bit more difficult for crazy people to hunt them down.
As my DON puts it "I don't want to have to look at your crotch to find out your name"
I also wear my name badge on a lanyard and it flips to the blank side all the time. When I introduce myself to my patients, I actually stretch my badge out to the patient so that they could see my name. I have an uncommon name and I find it's easier for people to remember it if they see the spelling.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Am I the only one that is bothered by this? I see so many healthcare professionals, nurses, aides, etc. who, either intentionally or unintentionally, wear their name badges backwards. It bothers me both as a co-worker and when I am the patient. I know that some people do it because they don't want people knowing their names, but honestly, how are you supposed to work with someone or be cared for by someone who you don't even know by name? I don't think that last names should be displayed on a name badge, especially in this crazy world that we live in today, but I think that to display your first name, job title, and photo ID should be required. In most facilities, this technically is a requirement, yet still, half the employees will have their name badge on backwards. Call me paranoid, but if someone comes into my room when I'm the patient and wants to do a procedure on me, I want to be able to tell right away who they are and what their job title is. Ditto when a co-worker shows up to take one of my patients somewhere or to assist me with the patient's care.
Ours flip backwards or forwards randomly. No matter how many times I turn it forward, it's backward 50% of the time.
I don't intentionally wear my badge backwards, but some quirk of science makes it impossible to keep them right side up, now matter how many times I flip it around.
Irrelevant, though, as I have my name and title embroidered on my right breast area of my scrub tops.
Sometimes it's hard to keep my badge forward facing. But every time I notice it I flip it around until it flips back again. One thing I do is cover-up my last name. I don't have a very common name, so people can easily find me if they want to.[/quote']Spink doesn't seem that uncommon to me.
I hate my name tag on a string. Hangs there and gets in the way ALL the time. Nothing like being in a patients room and trying to get your stethoscope to examine and you have to untangle your name tag from it!! I choose to use a clip, the one with the plastic piece that loops through the name tag and snaps together just above it. Voila! Name tag never turns over and barely gets in the way..
At my hospital, we flip the entire lanyard over our shoulder during a procedure. This is so during patient care, it does not hit them when we lean over, and tgey cannot pull on it. I introduce my name and title when I enter the room though.
No I'm not bothered by it because I know that a) sometimes it just flips around accidentally & b) I have zero qualms asking who you are & why you're there. This is true regardless of whether I'm the patient or a colleague. I only get "concerned" when the person hesitates in telling me, wont tell me or gives me a flippant answer that I may not necessarily be in the mood for. I work in the O.R. so I (like many others there) deliberately keep my badge inside my scrub top so that it won't come off or swing out & contaminate something. I'll also physically flip their badge over myself so I can take a look & (especially if it's a vendor) make sure that they're actually wearing one.
I always introduce myself to my patients & don't hesitate to show my badge if they want to see it (or the big red placard beneath it that says RN).
"I think that to display your first name, job title, and photo ID should be required."If that's the case (& it is) then you/your employer should also be required to update that photo on maybe a yearly basis because lemme tell ya, some of those photos are like mugshots & if I had to ID people by photo alone, I probably wouldn't be able to. & those are the people whose names I know!
Lastly, yes you are a tiny bit paranoid. If you're the patient & you want to "be able to tell right away who they are and what their job title is", then for Pete's sake, ask! Ask to see their badge too if you want & if you don't like their answer or lack of one, then feel free to give 'em the boot. This works equally well when you're the colleague (& you will always be right because it is always institutional policy that you wear/display an ID badge).
That part about not wanting others to know their names...that's not paranoia. That's 'what are you planning on f**king up that you don't want traced back to you?' I would be & am put off by that too!
I've never bought into that different color scrub crap. Because what happens when you get something on your scrubs or the MD asks you & everyone else in the room to change their scrubs & you put on the hospital issued scrubs? There goes the color coordinated identity, thats what.
If you wanna know who I am, ask. You have the right, end of story. Don't be some kind of weirdo, trying to peek at my badge or whatever, just be direct & ask. If you're the new guy & forgot, say so & ask. Lol, I assure you I won't take it personally, if you do.
I've made many a person repeat, write down or spell out their name for me if I can't understand (accents), think I misheard or think I might forget what their name is before I get a chance to jot it down/ document it.
I gpt tired of mine flopping around so I wrote my name really big on the back of mine with a sharpie marker, that way it was a non issue and all the patients who have trouble seeing could easily read my name. :)
AnnersRN
5 Posts
Like someone had said earlier- I work at a Level 1 Trauma Center, so I choose to be paranoid about my uncommon last name (my family is the only one in PA). Also- My real name is Anna (which is what it says on my badge) and my parents dont even call me that, so to avoid confusion when I tell people my name is Annie, I wear my badge inside a pocket. Anyway- there is a website that makes really nice name badges, Teddy's Rainbow, Inc. and most of our nurses wear these nametags with our first name and credentials. It is very easy to see my name, and that i am an RN, in fact I find more patients remember my name this way.