Wearing name plates or not?

[Bernhard]

Thank you all for the answers and opinions, please don't stop.

It really helps me in my decision (I'm not sure yet, but there are a lot of things to consider).

My collected replies to some of your all very valuable remarks:

• In our countie's EMS (non volunteer) nametags are allowed, but not mandatory, velcro is on the jacket. Since several years, name tags are not issued any more. Some colleagues use the old ones, some have bought private new ones, most don't wear any. Police here doesn't wear name tags either. Fire departments (all volunteer) usually do.
• I'm not exactly a public servant: especially in this case we're a volunteer first responder squad, not funded by public money. County EMS is a private organization contracted by the county, name tags or uniforms are not described in the contract. Even police officers don't wear name tags here (which is a big thing since a nearby police unit was involved in a case, where a lawsuit was dropped because the involved riot control officers can't be identified, maybe this may change things for police).
• We are able to be identified by call time and location. Central dispatch knows which unit when was where and then the EMS manager can consult the work time log to find out who was when on what unit. It doesn't identify the person, just the team, but in case of some inquiry that was never a problem to identify the indivudal EMT.
• I had numerous times patients or relatives refuse to let me do what I need to do. In most cases I can talk them into letting me do it anyway. Sometimes I just had to let them go (if they seem reasonable enough - if it get's worse, they would call again, anyway) and sometimes I had to get the police involved (if the patient is not conscious enough etc). But I can't see, what this has to do with my name. However, I have to admit, there was one case, a caller specifically requested me.
• Yes, I had numerous times patients or relatives want to see my credential. Mostly as a doctor - sorry, I'm just an "ambulance driver" (sarcasm intended). I had some asking me for my qualification and they were satisfied when told.
• I don't know how many medics have been killed by psycho patients, I go with the imagination of less than 1% as flamingemt states, thinking it is near 0. But I already have been heavily insulted by name and I was threated ("I find you, Mr. Bernhard, and then..."). Up to now those were just drunk people who most probably will regret their language later (special greetings to the australian girl from last Oktoberfest, her friend really wasn't dying from the cut toe, rather from the shame about her friend yelling into my ear). but in especially this case we were threated by a known violent guy living near my home.
• I don't want to die in an ambulance crash either, but then other things than my nametag might be the cause.
• Facebook.is an issue, yes. For a fact, some of the persons involved changed their screen name on facebook the same day. Some colleagues even have secret phone numbers, not trackable by the phone book. I'm not so paranoid, at least until this unhappy event,
• Our full names aren't on the patient care report, only on the work log in the station.
• Yes, it's astonishing, how a lot of people know you by name and you don't even know them by face. I greet everyone very friendly, therefore. But even after living almost 40 years in our local 10.000 soul coverage area there are a lot of strangers still. Until now, those who know me from private life don't tend to be violent against me (not counting the neighbour who crashed in my car recently, he may get a little angry about the repair bill I'll send him).
• No, I wouldn't go to a doctor who wouldn't let me know his name if I want to, simply because it would be difficult to find his office then. But in EMS I don't get called personally (rare exception see above). They call "EMS" in general. I don't think that's comparable with a decision to visit a specific doctor.
• If someone asks me for my name, it would depend on the situation: if he's aggressive and threatening he would only get the office number and the units call sign, which in combination with time/date is enough for a complaint about me.
• It's absolutely right, that if someone really wanted to know the name of someone who showed up on scene, that there are more than enough ways to find out. But this involves a somewhat intelligent search, which a "normal" violent drunkard who just happens to know my face and organization won't do. With a name it's very easy to search or ask. JPINV, your remark about hiding the name is a false sense of security is absolutely valid. I will consider this, but, what else could we do with the occasional aggressive patient/relative/bystander?

At the moment we wear jackets with logo/branch on back plus logo on both shoulders and sweat-/poloshirts with our logo/branch on back and left chest. Name tag is worn on jacket only (velcro), a velcro patch on the jacket's chest states our qualification. On the sweat-/poloshirts we attach our ID card (clip), giving full name and qualification. Both, velcro name tag and ID clip could easily be removed if the individual provider decides so. But I look for a general rule to give to our volunteers.

Again, thank you for your opinions (and don't stop), I can take those valuable views into a local meeting. Even if I know, that there seems to be no real solution...

Edited May 31, 2011 by Bernhard

[Richard B the EMT]

All members of the FDNY EMS Command are considered public employees. As such, if someone requests it, we have to give them our name and/or badge number. I think that's under civil service law, but I admit my own uncertanty on specifics.

[Bieber]

Our name plates have our first initial and last name. I usually just tell people my first name, because my last is difficult to pronounce (even for me, alas my German ancestors), but if they ask for my full name I'll give it. I don't know if there's anything in our policy manual that states we specifically have to, but we're public servants and I feel obligated to disclose at least that much to my patients--they're putting a lot of trust in me, after all.

I've never had any patients that I thought might be dangerous to me off-duty, but I haven't been doing this very long and I live and work in a large city/county of over a million people.

[HERBIE1]

We used to have name tags, but no longer. We now have our last names displayed on our bunker gear coats, but nowhere else. Have I had a problem with a patient or family member in the past? Yep.

Working in the ghetto, we had a preacher have a massive MI while at the pulpit, and he was triple zero upon our arrival. (Probably dead when he hit the floor- he was around 300lbs with an extensive cardiac history) It was the usual chaos and insanity at the church, we did the best we could, but to no avail. I have no idea how, but one of the "God-fearin" church folks tracked down my name and phone number(he had to have had help from someone within the department since that information is not readily available) and found my home number. I began to receive threatening calls, claiming we "killed his reverend", and he would kill me and my family. AT the time I was single, but I figured if someone was able to find my information, they may be able to find my family. I filled out a police report and also notified the local LEO's. After a couple more calls, they stopped. Nothing ever happened, but I was fairly paranoid for quite some time and was indeed looking over my shoulder at work, as well as at home.

In the ghetto it is not uncommon to be threatened while working(warnings against saving a rival gang banger, "do your m' f'n job or else", or "save my momma!"). All part of the fun of working in a busy urban setting. This was different- it was personal.

Point being- there is always an element of risk involved in what we do. Does it generally go beyond work? No, but it is possible. I see no purpose to having name tags, nor do I give someone my full name. i don't give a rats behind if we are "public servants" or not. If something can put my family in harms way, I draw the line- rules be damned. If someone has a beef, I always give them our ambulance number and with that and the date, it's a simple matter of finding out who we are. I even give them the number to call to file the complaint. On a couple occasions I actually offered to dial the number for them- they really didn't know what to do about that. LOL

[xselerate]

I'm an officer in a busy city system. On a typical day I turn out 9 ambulances and 2 supervisor units. Our uniform shirts have our last name embroided on them. Sometimes a guy shows up for work with navy blue marker through the white embroiding of his name. It's real simple, regardless of what anyone says about "putting there family in danger"... if you don't want people to see your name then your walking in knowing your going to be a jerk to them. People are frustrated because of the BS jobs and have an additude problem which is why they don't want there name known. Treat people with professionalism and respect and you won't have to worry about them knowing your name.

And when one of those guys show up they can change the shirt or go home.

[usalsfyre]

if you don't want people to see your name then your walking in knowing your going to be a jerk to them.

Bullcrap, I'm professional and courteous in all of my interactions and have still been threatened and assaulted. Your spouting typical administrative BS. "We can't control the publics reaction, so therefore the problem must be you".

[HERBIE1]

I'm an officer in a busy city system. On a typical day I turn out 9 ambulances and 2 supervisor units. Our uniform shirts have our last name embroided on them. Sometimes a guy shows up for work with navy blue marker through the white embroiding of his name. It's real simple, regardless of what anyone says about "putting there family in danger"... if you don't want people to see your name then your walking in knowing your going to be a jerk to them. People are frustrated because of the BS jobs and have an additude problem which is why they don't want there name known. Treat people with professionalism and respect and you won't have to worry about them knowing your name.

And when one of those guys show up they can change the shirt or go home.

I understand that standard administrative BS- I used to be in management. Problem is, reality often intrudes on that nice little Pollyanna mantra.

I was in the middle of defibrillating someone's grandma on her living room floor when I looked up and saw a gang banging mope storm into the house, and run across the floor to attack me. I threatened to turn the paddles on him until another family member finally pulled him off me.

I'm always nice, professional, and courteous- until it's time to stop being that way. When I am being physically threatened, I am no longer nice.

[paramedicmike]

People are frustrated because of the BS jobs and have an additude problem which is why they don't want there name known. Treat people with professionalism and respect and you won't have to worry about them knowing your name.

Perhaps in your system this is true. If that's the case then I'd have to fault the supervisors for letting their staff get this way. I'd also have to fault the supervisors for being out of touch with reality. Sometimes, no matter how nice, professional and respectful you are you wind up with people threatening to either kill you or cause bodily harm. If the supervisors are not aware of this then they either don't belong in a supervisor position or they've been a supervisor for too long and don't have the same street savvy they may have once had.

Judging by comments in this thread it seems others have been there. I know I've been there. Sometimes it doesn't matter how nice, courteous, professional or respectful you are. People will find something to complain over. Complaints I can handle. I'm confident in my professionalism to know that I did nothing wrong. (And if I did do something wrong my boss would hear about it before the complaint came in. There's a lot to be said about not letting your boss get blindsided by something.) It's the people who threaten to inflict bodily harm and/or kill me that causes me concern. Especially when they make themselves known outside of my residence.

If your staff has problems that's on you. But please save us the management malarkey. It's not going to go anywhere.

Just for the record, too, my full name is on my name tag at work. First name and last name.

[tcripp]

Interesting query. I work for a relatively small, rural county - have been there for a little over a year now. My shirt has both my first and last name in "old people" print. I think it can be seen across the room. In addition to that, I wear a photo ID badge with my full name included.

In the year that I've been here, each of us has had our name/photo in the local paper so that the community will get to know the people...you know, the ones who are paid by their very tax dollars.

As someone else wrote, we are public servants. I can't disagree that people should be able to know who we are especially since we are being "invited" in to their homes to take care of them.

Edited May 31, 2011 by tcripp

[usalsfyre]

In reality, if someone ask for my name, I'll give it to them. If they want to make a complaint, I'll give them my name and the approprite supervisor's contact information. What not having a last name does is give me some level of control of who my name gets out to. It's nice to know that the guy that's threatening to kill me and rape my wife (yeah it's happened) might have to jump through a few hurdles to get that info, rather than looking up my adress on Google.