FULL NAME required on name tag???

Tiiki · Jul 23, 2002

I work in the ER. My last name is whited out. Everyone covers their last name one way or another. It's a safety issue. I cannot imagine forcing people to have full names on. Years ago I worked in Legal Aide as a councellor. I used my maiden name so I wouldn't be stalked. What would happen if you just went ahead and covered your name? Aren't most doing it at this time?

And..are you unionized? If so, can they help? Lastly, and I know I am rambling, how supportive is your manager with regard to this.

:)

JO-ANNE

RoadRunner · Jul 23, 2002

A few years ago a patient found the address of a nurse of my unit because of her full name on her name tag. He went to her house to personnally thank her for her good work.....

This fellow had been shot during a biker gang dispute...

After that incident most of us covers their last name.

:eek:

dharma143 · Jul 23, 2002

like there aren't too few nurses already- let a couple psychos harm any before they see what a bad idea this is?? more common than that would be for general public to contact a ns of their loved-one for "off the record" info.....i don't think so. i live/work in a small town & this wouldn't matter. i'm also a volunteer ems person & the whole town knows where i live. i sure don't want to see another nurse hurt!!! we nurses have enough challenges as it is................. dharma

-jt · Jul 24, 2002

the safety issue never came up with us.

Ive been an RN for 20 yrs & never had a name tag/hospital ID that DIDNT have my last name. I didnt realize that was something new. I never saw an MD or any other professional walking around with an ID tag that just said "John, MD" & I wouldnt expect to see a nurse walking around with one that said "Nancy, RN" either. All the administrators, healthcare professionals, and employees have their first initial, last name, title & dept on the ID.

RNConnieF · Jul 24, 2002

We have always had our full names on our name tags.

shannonRN, BSN, RN · Jul 24, 2002

we used to have our full names on our id's....our hospital decided to change that a little while ago. now only our first name and title appear on the front of the badge, as well as our pic. on the back is our full name and id number. before the change, a lot of people covered up their last name. a few cover their last name on the back of our new badges....

OrthoNutter · Jul 24, 2002

Our hospital policy is that an employee's full name must be displayed at all times on their tag. You don't like it? You don't work there....simple as that. That's what I was told after my manager pulled me up with a black sticker plastered across my surname. I've had ex-pts look me up in the phone book and call at all hours of the day or night. I've even had them camped on my front door when I get home and had to call the police to have them removed. Admittedly, these pts all seem to have psych issues and the general pt population probably couldn't give a rats about where I live or getting my phone number. But the nutcases are out there and one of these days....something will happen, if not to me then someone else. So now, I don't have my sticker on my badge, but it stays firmly tucked in my shirt pocket where nobody can see it unless I need to show it to them..

sb22 · Jul 24, 2002

I have to agree with -jt. Every place I have worked has required first and last names with our title. I have worked home health for many years and tell my patients not to let anyone in without a proper badge.

RenayCCRN · Jul 24, 2002

What would be the legal issue if you worked in a high risk area (phyc, ER) and you had made a written statement of your concerns about the avalibility of you identity and some thing happened? Could you hold the hospital accountable? Anybody got a law degree?

disher · Jul 24, 2002

Like JT and sb22 we have first and last names on our name tags. But since it always flips over the patients mostly see the back of the badge, which contains a list of the hospitals code colours. After awhile a patient learns the code colors and some patients quiz staff to see if they know them. Guess it's better that they can laugh at staffs answers than laugh the ridiculous staff pictures.

-jt · Jul 24, 2002

If they take off the RNs last name from the ID & have them identified with just "Mary, RN", (which I think is insulting, unprofessional, & reinforces the perception of us as subservient handmaidens), are they going to take the last names off everyone elses IDs too? Or is it just RNs who are at risk for people finding out where they live? Will Dr. J. Smith now wear an ID that casually identifies him as just "John, MD"? Somehow I doubt it. Its the same as the nurse who respectfully calls all the administrators Mr or Ms So & So & all the MDs Dr So & So but nobody returns that respect to the nurse - & just calls her by her first name..... like a good puppy. MDs dont go to the pt & introduce themselves as "John, the Doctor". And neither do we. We introduce ourselves to the pts at the start of the shift & give our FULL names & title - they are entitled to know who is taking care of them. And since we do TELL them - point blank - who we are, having no last name on the ID would not be helpful in hiding the info.