M A Y 2 0 1 8 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 1 3
I
dentifying staff
by first names
and credentials
is valuable for
patients' conven-
ience and comfort,
but you should
reconsider hanging
nametags from lan-
yards. I am not a fan
of things hanging
from one's neck.
There are too many
possibilities for con-
tamination of the
surgical site with a
dangling string, as with any necklace. Because of the risk of bacterial
contamination, AORN's guidance is to avoid lanyards altogether.
There are also the safety risks of a lanyard string getting tangled in a
piece of equipment or being pulled by a patient emerging from anes-
thesia. We use magnetic nametags that state the staffer's first name
(only) and credentials.
Kris Sabo, RN
Pend Oreille Surgery Center
Ponderay, Idaho
kris@poscllc.com
LOSE THE LANYARD
The Attraction to Magnetic Name Tags
