Wearing name plates or not?

[NYCEMS9115]

As healthcare professionals in the hospital we are expected to identify ourselves to our patients. Ethically it is part of a provider-patient relationship. Why should EMS be any different, especially if they want to be viewed as healthcare professionals? Patients and families threaten hospital staff all of the time, why would it be any different in the field?

I fully agree... EMS is not just 911. Majority of EMS/PHC are Non-Emergency Transports... My guys, interact with Patients and Facilty Staff Members. Our Policy is that we must wear our ID while on duty. I instruct my crews to have it on; their ID is also their timecard, so there is no excuse they do not have an ID. Many times things change on Transports and even Emergencies like destination change, pickup time pushed back, the patient needs BLS or ALS during Transport, the Practitioner states the Patient is stable for Transport, the Patient will not be Transported, etc... I do not want my Company to take responsiblity for such changes, so the crew gets the name (last name) and title of the person who has made that changed to the scheduled call. The incident is noted on our RightCAD System and on their PCR. I also tell my crews to make sure where all signatures are required (PCR, PCS, and Billing Forms), they have the signer print their name or ask for their name and the crew member will print it for them. I want to answer the question from contracted facilities when they call to bark at us; "Who?!?" It was RN/MD/NP/PA/RRT/PT/Receptionist/Family/HHA/CNA/etc. Jane/John Doe who told us this or that. Hearing someone try to describe the person who told them so, can be useless in identifying the sayer. A name will single out the individual(s). Names are not just a PATIENT RIGHT it is RIGHT for all of us in the Healthcare Industry....

[JPINFV]

As healthcare professionals in the hospital we are expected to identify ourselves to our patients. Ethically it is part of a provider-patient relationship. Why should EMS be any different, especially if they want to be viewed as healthcare professionals? Patients and families threaten hospital staff all of the time, why would it be any different in the field?

...because, as a whole, EMS providers generally want the respect of being a healthcare professional without the actual work. There are too many (and I don't view EMS forums as representative of the average EMS population) providers who don't want the education, liability (oh, we'll just call medical control and make them liable for our (in)action), or ethical responsibilities that comes with being an actual professional.

[firemedic37]

Our polo uniform is embroidered with our company name and logo, our button up uniform have our company patch and our EMS Level Patch (National Level except for NREMT-I/99 we have a State Paramedic Patch) sown to the shoulders. Then we are required to wear our badge with our photo, first/nickname and EMS level credentials. Our last names are not allowed on our badges.