Is it normal for GP records to flash up your job title?

[Onepac]

Just been for bloods and noticed on the screen as I walked in that my records had a front page notice of “patient is a registered nurse”

Now the poor young HCA that was taking my bloods was a nervous wreck and admitted that she’d freaked out as soon as she saw I was a nurse. My arm turned blue with the length of time the tourniquet was on and I had to ask her to take it off as my hand had gone dead!! This made her even more nervous and after numerous attempts at taking my blood she got it but it’s left a ginormous bruise and my hand is still hurting an hour later.

Why does it say on my records that I’m a nurse?? Why is it relevant?

Probably in case you ask probing questions and they can gauge your level of knowledge! I am an hpc, and my job title is clearly on my records, because it’s quite niche and I get asked a lot of questions about it when I’m in for an appointment!

I was asked yesterday tbh when I went to an urgent treatment centre. I don’t have a medical qualification to my name! Wonder if it’s standard now

Yes it does pop up.

This is on my records too. I think it’s just to flag my level of knowledge and that I may ask questions.

I think if you’re medical it does. We do the same with medics at my job (vet) as obviously we speak in much more detail with human nurses and doctors

I don't imagine it's relevant to the ballsup she made of your blood draw.

I imagine it's so the clinicians know they can use "the lingo" and you'd understand.

How do they know what your job is?

Colleague of mine's wife is a solicitor who specialises in medical malpractice litigation. Someone at the hospital wrote that in large letters on the front page of her maternity notes!

So just out of curiosity, is this the case for all professions? And I’m also assuming if someone is unemployed, then that would be mentioned as well? 🤔

I'm pretty sure mine flashes up "major hypochondriac health anxiety loon."

It sounds sensible to me. Likely to get you more appropriate treatment as well and you are less likely to be talked down to.

Sounds like an error in where they recorded the information. That shouldn't have been public knowledge nor should it be on your records as it's not information that is relevant to your care so they don't have a right to record it

I was really surprised to see on a GPs screen (my sons records) family plan to emigrate... because I had mentioned to a health visitor several years earlier how much I'd love to move to ibiza!!

It’s sensible so they can gauge how to speak to you if you do have a medical background.

Actually all medical records should include your work because it may be relevant either to your diagnosis , treatment or work . Eg a lorry driver diagnosed with sleep apnoea would not be able to continue in their job until under control , respiratory diseases in poultry workers may be more exotic than "just " the flu , prescribing antihistamines etc may have disastrous consequences for professional athletes , mesothelioma appearing in people working in the same place may well mean there is unknown asbestos in the workplace etc etc

Certain jobs eg fishermen , oil rig workers will not have ready access in a medical emergency so may need different treatment planning.

Carers , particularly elderly with no support , will often not be able to get to appointments at short notice , or without transport etc

The more information known the better treatment can be tailored appropriately .

I don't really like the idea that clinicians would judge you based on your job role. I don't work in health but just take an interest in the world around me - I've been asked more than once if I'm a nurse. No, I just have some general knowledge! Equally, it irritated me when a couldn't get a referral for my pre-school child until I mentioned I was a Reception teacher then suddenly I was taken seriously. My other mum friends would just as easily have made the same call as me, regardless of their job roles. There are plenty of very clever and very well educated women (and men) who don't work.

It will be a pop up that comes up when your name is typed in. It is used to put helpful info on. Examples include 'large dog at the property' 'patient's son is a consultant' 'difficult veins - for X nurse only' 'keysafe 1948'

It's not public, only the practice can see it (although can share with district nurse teams etc if deemed necessary like the dog thing). You will have mentioned your job to someone at some point and they've added it so they know you're a nurse and can tailor the discussion with that in mind. It doesn't come on automatically, someone has to physically add the message.

But that's relevant. Lorry driver develops condition that stops him working - appropriate retention of information. Patient is a nurse and has required no care relating to her profession - inappropriate retention of information.

Your work is relevant to your medical history:

It may make you more or less prone to a host of different occupational diseases

If you are unwell you may not be able to do the same work as before

How much you are paid ( or not when ill) makes a big difference to the resources you may be able to fund to help you

Plus many many more things

Certain diseases eg covid , the guidelines for those working in health care are different to others .

Again depending on what area of nursing a diagnosis of a notifiable disease would have a significantly different public health reaction.

The biggest problem in taking medical histories is people leaving out what they don't think is relevant . Over the years it has led to some really dangerous situations and when questioned the patient has said " I didn't think you needed to know that" .

I'm a senior nurse and a specialist in my field. I told staff this when my son was born and needed to stay in NICU and I had no idea what they were talking about! I had to ask them to dumb it down.

It's highly relevant. When I was in the police I know it was flagged up because the advice for me was then bespoke to things like the effects of / causes of my ill health or treatment on blue light driving, shift work etc. Same when I donate blood.

It'll also be the same for other professions like lorry driving, scuba instructors, laboratory chemists etc.

I was also a Health and Safety Executive Inspector for several years. Your employment can have an enormous and specific effect on your health! It's so important that medics understand if you're being exposed to chemicals, working hours, manual handling etc.

How do they know what your job is though?

I don’t think I’ve ever been asked about my profession at the vets, doctors or dentists and they do often dumb things down for me lol even though I have a degree in Biology and studying for a masters (not medical though so maybe that’s why).

I have a huge dog but no medical people would know about it apart from the vets.