WIBU to introduce myself when the doctors I'm working with don't bother?

[Sallystyle]

Not a huge deal, just a bit annoying.

I am a nurse assistant in hospital but often do clinics where I'm working with doctors. Some doctors also have colleagues with them, usually those still training who are observing.

My job is to assist the doctors such as cleaning the bed, helping the patients undress if needed, cleaning the equipment after use, reassuring the patient if anxious, filling in some paperwork and I chaperone so I'm with the patients throughout.

The doctors always introduce themselves and their colleagues. They never introduce me. It makes me quite uncomfortable. My job is clearly not skilled but is it ok to treat me as I'm not there at all?

Strangely enough, if I'm assisting doctors in emergency medicine they do make a point of finding out my name and introducing me as well.

Just introduce yourself. if they need to look at the badge or read your name off the form then they probably don't know you really and might find it awkward to lean over to read your name out to the patient. And there's the possibility that they think you'd met the patient already. I would say that you not introducing yourself makes it a bit odd as it's only normal to do so when working with people.

Do you not get training on this? Perhaps the doctors think it is you who is rude for not introducing yourself? Are you a nurse or a HCA? If you are a HCA you are not a 'nurse assistant'. Only a nurse can use the title of nurse.

HCA, but we are called nurse assistants.

They recently changed our titles from HCA to NA.

Like I said, I always introduce myself if I collect the patient or I'm working in a ward. It's the first thing I do.

The doctor might think I'm rude for not introducing myself, but if he called the patient in and made the effort to introduce the observing trainee he could make an effort for me as well. If he is introducing himself and someone else, why not me too?

I should have introduced myself afterwards, I can see I was wrong not to do so but it felt a bit awkward.

Are you a nurse or an HCA?

Could someone explain the difference? As far as I can see, HCA's/NA's do the exact same job nurses were once required to perform before it was decided that degrees rather than diplomas were the required entrance qualifications, and that nurses, rather than attending patients, were required to fill in reams of paperwork?

Another one here to quote the #hello, my name is# campaign (even though I couldn't remember the name of the lady who started it.)

I've been having hospital treatment for cancer for the last 2+ years and I really appreciate people introducing themselves to the point that I notice when they don't. DH had a mole removed this year (history of previous melanoma) and the guy who did it said not a word the entire time, not even his name. DH was thoroughly p'd off with the whole experience

I think it's really rude and hierarchical of the doctors not to introduce you!

As a patient, I want to know who is around me! It's often the nurse assistants/HCAs who are the kindest and most understanding, and with whom you end up interacting the most.

Yeah, there is no difference between the two. Some people just get a bit grumpy about the fact that nurse is in the title, even though it is quite clear we are assisting nurses and not trained nurses.

Our hospital had a vote recently about what our titles should be. Nurse assistant won.

I have only ever felt awkward about introducing myself in this situation, where the doctor knows I haven't had time to introduce myself and they introduce themselves, their colleague and forget about me. I don't want to look like I'm pulling them up on it. It's stupid I know.

I was in hospital a couple of years back and a man came in and did an examination on me and asked me a whole load of questions and I didn't have a clue who he was. I felt uncomfortable asking! This was before Kate's campaign.

Her husband is a very old friend of mine and he's doing everything he can to keep this campaign alive.

Completely with Holly and the OP. NHS hierarchy is farcical, the only individuals who concern the patient or their immediate relatives are those involved in direct care. It's insane that you should have to take second place to a student. You're already on the front line!

Another one who's taken on #hellomynameis I don't work in the NHS but I meet new people all the time within public sector and I always introduce myself.

Well my mum was in hospital lately for about a week and every HCP introduced themselves and their role and it made the whole experience so much better. For everyone.
So I say speak up U2 and the doctors should be ashamed of themselves for not putting patients first by making it clear who it will be who is helping them at a vulnerable time.

It's nursing assistant, not nurse assistant!

I miss being able to use #hellomynameis, this days I'm know as "miss" on a good day.

Oops yes, nursing assistant I blame it on being very sleep deprived right now

Some people do call us nurse assistants, the older generation tend to use Auxiliary nurse which I prefer out of all of them.

I feel a bit conflicted about this - on one hand I feel that the onus is on you to introduce yourself as you become involved with the patient, and not on the doctor. He is directly involved in the patient's consultation whereas your involvement may be more indirect.

On the other hand I think it would be easy enough for the doc to say "Hello, I'm Dr Bob, this is my trainee Dr Jim and this is health care assistant U2".

ItshouldhavebeenJess nursing has changed significantly since nurses were primarily there to wash backs and change beds and do the doctors' bidding. HCAs didn't really exist in the 50s and 60s, not in terms of personal care anyway. Auxiliaries were more for housekeeping and admin.

Now, given the incredible demands on nurses to plan and record every action they carry out as well as doing all the things doctors used to do, basic care has passed to the HCAs. Nurses don't have much time for it, which IMO is a shame.