Looking for the senior nurse? Look for the red badge

As part of a pilot on the medical wards the nurse in charge on each shift will now be sporting a red badge with the words ‘shift leader’ on it.

Earlier this year the Trust rolled out yellow name badges for staff who work face-to-face with patients after feedback from patients that they did not know always the name of the member of staff caring for them.

The badges are bright yellow with large black writing which makes them clear and easy to read for everyone, including people with visual impairments. They feature the staff member’s name and job title so patients and their relatives are clear about who they are talking to and who is treating them.

Now in addition to the yellow badges, the senior nurse in charge on the shift will be wearing the red badge too.

Paul Kirton Watson, associate chief nurse for medicine, said: “It’s important that our patients and their visitors can identify who the senior nurse is on the ward from shift to shift. It’s not always the nurse with the darkest blue uniform.

“Patients have told us they don’t know who is in charge; these red badges are a simple but effective way to identify who the nurse in charge is. That way if any patient, relative or indeed member of staff wants to speak to the senior nurse on the ward, they just need to look out for the red badge.”