Scrub Caps with Name: A Simple Solution for Better Patient Care

Dr. Rob Hackett from Sydney never imagined that a small action of his would lead to a global movement in the medical community.

Here’s how it all started.

Six months ago, just before performing a surgery, Rob had a sudden idea. He printed his name and profession on his surgical cap, as shown in the image:

“Rob”

“Anaesthetist”

He wore this cap out of the office, which led to some teasing from his colleagues.

“You look a bit silly; no one else does this.”

“Can’t you remember your own name?”

Yes, those were the initial comments Rob received. However, once he explained his reasoning, everyone fell silent.

Why did he do this?

Rob explained that it was helpful for other colleagues to recognize him during surgery, ensuring efficiency in the operating room. Additionally, it allowed patients to know who he was, providing them with a sense of security.

Once he explained, everyone understood.

Indeed, the image of surgeons we usually see is one where they wear surgical caps and masks, leaving only their eyes visible.

This is fine, but when a group of doctors stands together and looks down at you, it can be somewhat intimidating.

Moreover, if you can only see their eyes, you have no idea who is who. Not only do patients not know who the doctors are, but even the doctors themselves may not recognize each other!

In an operating room, there are often surgeons, anesthetists, nurses, midwives, or other medical staff present. Each surgery may involve different people working together.

Sometimes after several surgeries, they genuinely cannot tell who is who and may not know each other’s roles!

Rob mentioned an instance where he needed to perform chest compressions on a patient but was delayed because he didn’t know the name of the doctor qualified to perform that task…

There was another time when a medical student on internship was mistaken for a practicing physician! They were even asked to perform surgery!

“When you work in four or five hospitals with hundreds of people, I can confidently say I don’t know 75% of their names. It’s really awkward.”

“Last Friday during surgery, there were 20 people in the operating room. I struggled to ask someone to pass me gloves because the person I pointed at thought I was pointing at someone behind them.”

“When you know everyone’s name and role, surgical operations become much more efficient. It helps build camaraderie among colleagues and benefits patients as well.”

Especially for mothers undergoing cesarean sections, seeing the name on the surgical cap makes them feel like they know their doctor better and reduces stress during surgery.

According to the World Health Organization’s surgical safety checklist, all medical staff are required to introduce themselves before starting surgery. However, this guideline is often overlooked by many healthcare professionals.

Scrub Caps with Name Became Popular

Since Rob shared his photo online, his colleagues and doctors from other places have started to follow suit.

They began writing their titles and names on their surgical caps.

Transforming plain surgical caps into business cards.

Eliminating some of the unfamiliarity for patients.

Bringing a sense of warmth to patients.

Making surgical caps less monotonous.

Making operating rooms feel less cold.

Surgical Cap Challenge

But honestly, this action is really thoughtful and helps improve surgical efficiency. Consequently, doctors in the UK, USA, and South America have also started the “Surgical Cap Challenge”:

However, Rob mentioned that this behavior has faced some resistance from higher-level medical personnel who likely do not want to change established surgical practices. Rob insists he will continue to advocate for this approach and seek support on Twitter:

Some of twitter fans have expressed support for Rob’s idea on X:

“What a brilliant idea for both health professionals and patients. I think this should be standard in all
hospitals”

“Excellent idea. Will save so much time and confusion”

“Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best.”

Yes, simply having a name can enhance trust and communication between patients and doctors and improve surgical efficiency. I believe this practice is truly worth promoting.

What do you think?

Citations:[1] https://www.scarymommy.com/theatre-cap-challenge[2] https://www.boredpanda.com/doctors-write-names-profession-scrub-cap-rob-hackett/[3] https://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2021/01/25/names-on-surgical-caps-boost-communication-during-c-sections-study-finds/