How to address a Nurse (original) (raw)
| How to Address a NurseEnvelope: _(Full name), (RN, LPN, or other post nominal) (Name of practice, hospital, or clinic) (Address)_Letter salutation: Dear Mr./Ms. (surname) : FYI, here is what's come in to the Blog that relates to this office/rank. For recent questions sent in, check out Robert Hickey's Blog. For specific offices/ranks, check out Robert Hickey's On-Line Guide. How to Address Someone In Writing When They Only Have Their First Name on Their Name Badge? How should one address a note of thanks for services rendered by a medical professional, such as a person ranked MD, RN, or CNA, whose name badge gives only the person's first name and surname initial? I ask because my mother, who is elderly and as of today is receiving hospice care, recently spent several grueling weeks in a local hospital, and has asked that I express her gratitude to the medical personnel who attended her with outstanding kindness and compassion. I know her main physicians' surnames, but most of the medical team revealed only their first names and last name initials, such as Beth M., RN or Bob M., CNA on their name badges. This reminds me of elementary school, when we children were required to head our papers with only our given names and surname initials. That was appropriate for young children with emerging manual dexterity in a small classroom, but I do not understand how it makes sense in a professional setting, unless the personnel involved fear legal retribution, such as malpractice suits, and thus wish to hide their true identities. Please advise me on how to address these semi-anonymous professionals, who hold their patients' lives in their hands but will not reveal their full identifies. -- Taylor StuartDear Taylor Stuart: All you can do is to follow the lead of the individual ... and address it to the name you have: **Beth M., RN Surgical Recovery Unit Wilson County Hospital 4455 Smith Road City, State, ZIP Dear Beth,**But to get a more thoughtful answer, I asked an expert on etiquette and professional polish in the medical arena -- Karen Hickman of Professional Courtesy, LLC -- (who is a graduate of The Protocol School of Washington) for her take on it: I agree with your response, but would like to add a couple more points. The primary reasons medical personnel list first names only is for security reasons, but also because nurses are authorized to phone in prescriptions for physicians and there is less chance for a clever patient to call in medications using the nurses full name. Also, if the patient has an established relationship with the facility there is a chance that a manager or supervisor would share last names. Speaking from personal experience, from my nursing days, cards and notes of gratitude are always so appreciated from care givers. Any gifts, like candy or other food items should be sent to the team since ethically, nurses and physicians are discouraged from accepting personal gifts. Karen: I learned something from you today (no surprise!). Thank you! -- Robert Hickey What is The Order of Post-Nominals? I am doing a presentation on the many post nominals in the medical and nursing fields and what they stand for. There are several and for our nursing convention I am conducting a focus session at our annual nursing convention next week on this subject including the correct way of using these post nominals. Would you happen to have those listed? If you have a list of those in particular I would be more than happy in giving credit to you and your book in my focus session. As you know, in the medical field we are bombarded with many post nominals and it can be challenging to know and decipher those. -- Monica, RN, BSN Dear Monica, When I started my book I thought I would include a list of every post-nominal abbreviation in the world and what each meant. But I soon realized there are so many post nominals in so many fields any list would always be incomplete. Plus, I found that if you put any mysterious post-nominal abbreviation into any search engine ... the answer was instantly there. Thus I decided to focus on how they are used ... not what could be used. On page 100 of my book I cover how to correctly sequent all types of post nominals (academic degrees, certifications, decorations, honorary degrees, professional associations & affiliations, religious orders, theological degrees, etc., etc., etc.). In your case here's the pertinent sequence:First Academic Degrees from high to low, Then Certifications Then Professional Associations & Affiliations -- Robert Hickey |
|---|
All information on www.formsofaddress.info is copyright © 2011 by Robert Hickey.
The Protocol School of Washington® is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Honor & Respect is dedicated to Dorothea Johnson, Founder of The Protocol School of Washington®