A Common Sense Compromise
By Lynne Bell
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听听听听听听听听听听听 One dictionary definition of 鈥渃ommon sense鈥� is 鈥済ood sense and judgement in practical matters. And a recent comment by CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) health council chair, Gordon Campbell, demonstrated just that.
听听听听听听听听听听听 Campbell was speaking to The Regina Leader Post's Will Chabun regarding how much information-if any-should be displayed by health care employees on their name tags.
听听听听听听听听听听听 Campbell stated that first names only were sufficient, because 鈥渘ames are a comfort to people who are receiving care-knowing whether it's Gord or Sally or whoever provides the care.鈥� He also said that name tags help co-workers on varying shifts develop 鈥渁 valuable rapport with each other.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 This issue arose in response to a policy (which has since been changed) that had been proposed by the North Battleford-based Prairie Health region, which recommended that front-line health care workers wear name tags which displayed both their first and last names.
听听听听听听听听听听听 The health region's VP of People, Strategy and Performance, Irene Denis, told Chabun that the policy was well-intentioned, stemming from the province's 'Patient First' policy and was meant to aid in 鈥渁ddressing the 'imbalance of power' between patient and caregiver.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 But however well-intentioned the initiative was, both the Prairie Health Region and CUPE should be commended for reaching a reasonable response which addressed the needs of both employees and the patients they care for.
听听听听听听听听听听听 Although the health region stated-in its defence-that police officers, corrections workers and social workers wear full name tags, their professional situations differ greatly from those of front-line health care workers. Police, corrections workers, and even social workers are well-trained to manage听 (and are perhaps even expecting) the possible risks of dealing with those they may encounter during the course of their work day.
听听听听听听听听听听听 However, even though health care workers are medical professionals-and may even specialize in mental health issues-they should not have to cope with: receiving threatening phone calls at home, or dealing with Facebook friend requests from patients, or even finding a convicted sex offender outside their residence. All of these unsettling occurences were actually experienced by health care workers in this province, and at the very least, they are unsettling distractions and at worst, incidents that could negatively impact an employee's peace of mind and worse, personal safety.
听听听听听听听听听听听 For the majority of patients who are not a threat of any kind, but who are, in many cases, alone, afraid, and vulnerable in a hospital bed, knowing a caregiver's first name gives them a modicum of protection (in case they do need to make a report), as well as a sense of comfort and control, at a time when they may have little of either.
听听听听听听听听听听听 Campbell's statement on behalf of CUPE is a common sense compromise that addresses the concerns of both patients and those who care for them.
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Do they really need a name tag?
By Kelly Running
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听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 When working with the public many people wear name tags, some will have their first names only on them while others have both their first and last names displayed.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Recently the Saskatchewan labour board ruled that putting someone鈥檚 first name and surname on their name tag meant that employee鈥檚 privacy and safety was at risk. Therefore a change has been made to only include the individual鈥檚 first name.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 But, should they have their name on it at all? Many people feel that it鈥檚 important for healthcare workers to have a name tag. When first meeting someone if they鈥檙e wearing a name tag you often feel more comfortable with them, because you know their name, they鈥檙e not just some random person.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 If issues arose or if the patient wanted to compliment the healthcare worker then a name tag quickly identifies who the healthcare worker is in that situation.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 The healthcare worker knows the name of the patient, so why shouldn鈥檛 the patient or the patient鈥檚 family know who their healthcare worker is without having to get them to introduce themselves.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 The change was enacted due to complaints by healthcare workers, which included one rather concerning story that I鈥檝e read about. The story involved a healthcare worker who had been working while a 93-year-old patient passed away. The son of the patient, looked to the healthcare workers name tag, repeating her first and last name before accusing the healthcare worker of killing his mother. Apparently a few days later the employee鈥檚 roommate called to say that a suspicious man was sitting in his car outside of their house.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 However, should they have to wear a tag at all?
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Healthcare workers have a lot to do in a day and while they鈥檙e doing it, should they have to worry about a name tag hanging off of their scrubs? It must get in the way in some form I would think while helping patients and could be an annoying thing to keep up with as a healthcare worker.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Also, most people don鈥檛 really look for the name tag typically asking an individual鈥檚 name instead, even if they鈥檙e wearing a name tag. Additionally many people who work as healthcare professionals work with older individuals who are often unable to read the name tags.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Oftentimes if people are looking for a name tag it鈥檚 because they either want to give a compliment or make a complaint to the higher ups. Both of which are easy enough to do by simply asking the person their name.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 So, is it really practical for someone working in healthcare to really be wearing a name tag?
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听听Eliminating the use of their last name is good in case of such happenings as the aforementioned story, but do they even need a name tag at all?听
