Should Last Names Be in Hospital Name Badges?

Last week I had a regular meeting with my doctor. When I got out, I saw an assistant with a different name on his badge, followed by the first few names of his last name. He has a good name, which I have never heard of before. I asked him to pronounce it and that he also had an unusual middle name. He diverted his attention elsewhere and avoided telling me his name. It dawned on me that I had intended to attack his privacy unintentionally, leading me to ask: If hospital staff are afraid to disclose their full names to patients, what risks do they face?

It is important to keep technology in the medical field and that is especially true now during the coronavirus outbreak. Medical professionals need to feel safe in their workplace because everything is so busy, and the last thing they need to worry about is someone reading their full name when they are not needed.

According to OSHA, 75% or more cases of workplace violence are reported annually to nurses and other hospital staff, whether on or off working hours. Some medical institutions avoid giving full names on the badges in case an angry patient finds the doctor's seat and injures him. In fact, an ER employee in Memphis faced this situation. "Our clinical examination work was clearly identified by the patient, who was following his car and finding out where he was staying," said Carri Ann, a St. Louis nurse. Francis ER. This case and many other everyday events prove that working in the health care industry is more dangerous than some may think.

Not only worries about dissatisfied patients and family members, there are addicts who want access to drugs. Many people believe that all health workers have open access to medication, and are known to threaten workers with the hope of getting pills or drugs.

There is controversy over whether removing surnames from badges provides greater protection. Many say that not filling in the blanks is a threat to the integrity of nurses and staff. After all, patients have the right to know who cares and whether they are eligible. Without a name, a patient who has received inadequate care has a very difficult time reporting the matter to the appropriate authorities. Patients and their families need to know whether the therapist is a knowledgeable, residential physician, RN, physical therapist, specialist or assistant.

The rules and requirements for an ID badge vary from country to country. It is vital to know the laws in your country.. Some say, like Pennsylvania, they have strict rules for ID badge requirements. According to an article from the Lippincott Nursing Center, some states require health care workers at state-licensed institutions (hospitals, rehabilitation centers, skilled nursing centers) to wear ID badges that include the full name and current photo. In addition, Pennsylvania Commonwealth is strong enough to require ID badge photos to be renewed every 4 years. Similarly, California has very strict rules, depending on the size of the type used on nurse badges.

Some, including health professionals themselves, believe that it is a bad practice to remove surnames or other legal details from name badges australia. 

What are the ways in which hospitals can keep their staff safe while providing appropriate guarantees for their patients? First and foremost, make sure all health care providers and other employees wear official identification. Depending on the rules of each state, this may or may not include the last name, but must at least include the first name and the appropriate punctuation mark.

Tips for designing nurses and doctor's badges or name tags:

Most importantly, make sure the text is large enough to be read remotely. No one should invade a personal space to read his badge.

Include sufficient information to keep patients and their families comfortable. These may include:

Official hospital or healthcare provider logo

Hospital contact details

Cardholder Name

Recent photo of card holder

Fingerprints (especially for top security personnel such as lab workers)

Work signature

Badge release date and expiration date

Barcode and / or QR code

Security access level or color code

Details such as height, gender, hair, eye and skin color

Job cardholder duties

Years of work

This type of information puts patients at ease and reduces the need to display surnames on badges. Employees, on the other hand, feel safer from the risk of being found after work hours. Other personnel and patient comfort and safety options include:

Colored cow tails or badges

Related symbols that include a list of color codes and their meanings

Safe access only with approved access cards, fingerprints or face recognition

Safe parking spaces for staff

Surveillance cameras are strategically placed

Security has been put in place at high risk

Checking all guests. Require them to show a valid ID and wear a guest land

Controversy may continue over whether full names should be affixed to nurses name badges australia, but in the practice required by law to include surnames, there are other measures to protect the privacy and security of employees.