Acceptability of identification bracelets for hospital inpatients.
- Cleopas A Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland. agatta.cleopas@hcugc.ch.
- Kolly V
- Bovier PA
- Garnerin P
- Perneger TV
- 2004-10-07
Published in:
- Quality & safety in health care. - 2004
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Forms and Records Control
Health Care Surveys
Hospital-Patient Relations
Hospitals, University
Humans
Male
Mandatory Programs
Middle Aged
Names
Organizational Policy
Patient Identification Systems
Patient Satisfaction
Switzerland
English
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether hospitalised patients would agree to wear an identification bracelet and whether patient acceptability is improved by more detailed explanations or by using a code instead of a name on the bracelet.
DESIGN
Patient survey that tested two variables in a randomised factorial design. Explanations about identification bracelets were given (a) with or without examples of situations where patient identification may be important, and (b) with the patient name or an anonymous code appearing on the bracelet.
SETTING
Swiss teaching hospital where wearing of identification bracelets was not systematic.
PARTICIPANTS
Adult patients discharged from hospital (n = 1411).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Patients' responses to the questions: (a) should the hospital introduce a compulsory identification bracelet? and (b) would the patient agree to wear such a bracelet?
RESULTS
Globally, 83.9% of patients thought that the hospital should introduce bracelets and 90.2% stated that they would agree to wear one. Providing examples increased support for both the hospital policy (87.9% v 79.2%, p<0.001) and personal acceptance (92.2% v 88.1%, p = 0.015). Whether or not the bracelet carried the patient's name or an anonymous code did not influence patient choice.
CONCLUSIONS
The majority of patients were in favour of wearing an identification bracelet during their hospital stay. This proportion increased significantly when an explanation based on examples of the consequences of incorrect patient identification had been provided.
To evaluate whether hospitalised patients would agree to wear an identification bracelet and whether patient acceptability is improved by more detailed explanations or by using a code instead of a name on the bracelet.
DESIGN
Patient survey that tested two variables in a randomised factorial design. Explanations about identification bracelets were given (a) with or without examples of situations where patient identification may be important, and (b) with the patient name or an anonymous code appearing on the bracelet.
SETTING
Swiss teaching hospital where wearing of identification bracelets was not systematic.
PARTICIPANTS
Adult patients discharged from hospital (n = 1411).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Patients' responses to the questions: (a) should the hospital introduce a compulsory identification bracelet? and (b) would the patient agree to wear such a bracelet?
RESULTS
Globally, 83.9% of patients thought that the hospital should introduce bracelets and 90.2% stated that they would agree to wear one. Providing examples increased support for both the hospital policy (87.9% v 79.2%, p<0.001) and personal acceptance (92.2% v 88.1%, p = 0.015). Whether or not the bracelet carried the patient's name or an anonymous code did not influence patient choice.
CONCLUSIONS
The majority of patients were in favour of wearing an identification bracelet during their hospital stay. This proportion increased significantly when an explanation based on examples of the consequences of incorrect patient identification had been provided.
- Language
-
- English
- Open access status
- bronze
- Identifiers
-
- DOI 10.1136/qhc.13.5.344
- PMID 15465937
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/82826
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