Yesterday one of the physicians who is contracted by the hospital I work for got angry after I asked the charge nurse if it is legal for me to take care of 2 patients with the same last name. Although I know there is such a policy in the hospital for patient safety reasons that patients with the same name can not be taken cared of by one nurse. He confronted me in front of several other employees in the hallway, where patients and family could hear everything that is happening, telling me that he and the charge nurse have made a decision that the 2 patients be in the same room and be both under my care. He continued stating that if I cant do it, I should look for another job

And your question is?

It's certainly a bad decision by the hospital to put two patients with the same name in the same room as one of the national initiatives is to reduce the number of mistakes involving medication.

But part of that initiative is also that every time you issue a medication or other treatment to a patient you ask the patient their name and at least one other unique identifier (i.e. their birthday).

I know in hospitals I have worked in we would try to keep same name patients in seperate rooms - if we could - and the binding of their chart would bear a bright signalling a name alert.

But I have never heard of any law prohibitting you from treating patients with the same name. Many health professionals have treated family members back to back. I can't imagine why you would have thought it to be illegal.

Certainly the doctor was wrong to chastise you so publicly. You *may* have some recourse within the hospital. But I wouldn't hold my breath on the MD seeing any disciplinary action. If I were your supervisor I would talk with him about his actions with my staff but the charge nurse should have done so at that time. I'd put this all behind me now if I were you.

But part of that initiative is also that every time you issue a medication or other treatment to a patient you ask the patient their name and at least one other unique identifier (i.e. their birthday).



I was wondering why they did that. ;)