Hi, started working at 2 hospitals in the past few months and both have asked if i have ID for the diabetes. I dont as I was told I cant wear jelewry or anything loose on my wrists or neck while working. I wear my phone on me in my pants pocket, it has my medical ID on the front screen. But thats all i have. Sometimes i have to leave that in my locker. Is there another way to have info on me, so if i get into trouble and no one knows about me they will be able to know to check? Any ideas??
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I personally wouldnāt consider medical ID to be ājewellryāāthe bracelet I have, at least, is quite plain and clearly a piece of medical ID. And even if it is considered jewellry, you should be accommodated to be able to wear it. There are lots of different types of medical ID bracelets these days, including sports bands that donāt dangle. If you currently have one of those bracelets that tries to hide the fact that they are medical ID to look like regular jewellry, maybe consider getting something more plain thatās clearly not decorative to wear at work. If thereās some sort of safety concern with wearing bracelets, Iād discuss it with a supervisor and put in a formal request for accommodations that includes wearing a medical ID.
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Technically, if you have an emergency, they are supposed to check neck, wrists and ankles for medical ID. They will find that if they undress you, but they probably wont if they donāt undress you. If I were you, I might worry most about wearing something around your neck if you come into contact with patients because medical IDs are pretty easy to grab onto and if someones gets control of your head, they will have good control over your body. But, ankle bracelets are simply not very visible in an emergency. I would, personally, wear a bracelet that has a snug fit so that people canāt grab onto it because that is super visible. Even with long sleeves, they should be able to recognize that your wearing tags.
If you are VERY against the idea of jewelry/tags, you can always get it tattooed on your wrist. I donāt love that idea because if your ever in a car accident and its dark outside, the medics who respond will be feeling for med tags and bleeding. They are trained to āfeelā for tags most often. They may not see the tattoo until they reach the hospital.
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Could you wear a ID badge, like a name badge, while working and put on your bracelet after work? A lot of jobs do not allow Jewelry while working.
Ankle bracelet i hadnt thought of, good idea :). Tattoos are out ( personal reasons). No name tags allowed except to be kept in the pocket and its clipped inside it, itās just in case of fire then we can get back in after (if allowed). It has our number on it to be accounted for.
Badge would have to be transferrable, but we are not to have anything that can come lose at anytime or rip off usā¦ i work wirh elderly people in a pch and lodge and hospital settings doing various care.
Iām thinking aloud here ā¦ some, if not all, driverās licenses note if you are an organ donor. As you have an ID tag you wear clipped inside your pocket, could your employer implement a program for medical identification purposes? Or, could you tape to it, write on it, it being the id tag clipped inside your pocket, what is needed?
It might work, i would have to find a laminator so it could add to the clip. Will look into that. Thanks.
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Carrying a wallet card is almost as good as a medic-alert bracelet.
In some states you can voluntarily list medical conditions like diabetes on your drivers license for first responders to find.
The one corner case where a wallet card isnāt so good, is if the people donāt know you have diabetes but know who you are - and thus wonāt go poking into your wallet.
My kids tell me that phone cases serve as wallets today but Iām too old for that. I would not trust on anyone looking at the phone screen but if they saw some ID cards attached they would look.
You might inquire about the reason for no jewelry. It may be itās a blanket policy just in case anyone ever walks into the room with the MRI machine with metal on them, for example. There have been some spectacularly gory accidents in hospitals where someone (often an employee) walks into the MRI machine room with a metal object. I myself have been in workplaces where any because of 10,000+ Amp currents any metal jewelry (ring, bracelet, whatever) is strictly forbidden. Plastic medical alert bracelets are available.
If you tell a few folks at work that you are diabetic, that should cover you, should you āconk outā. If they KNOW you have diabetes, they donāt need to look at ID jewelry, now do they?
I tell them, but its not something everyone remebers about youā¦ i do have a glucose i carry and leave in sight by my water bottle and hope that helps, but i need ID as im allergic to rapid acting insulin and was told thats the first go to if they check and my sugars are to high. So if Iām unconcious or not able to talk, i dont want them giving me that. I get a swollen mouth and numb down my whole right side. As well as hives. So i need something.
I work in patients rooms cleaning, but its the kitchen/dining area that is totally against the jelwery, i work in there 4 days a week. In case it gets ripped off me and does damage or lodged in equipment or scratches a patient.
I have a phone but i dont have the case anymore. I just have a cover. I may need to go back to that.
Thanks allā¦ maybe a tattoo (i might just have to do that). And a bracelet for evenings and days i dont work. But either way Iāll be covered.
Donāt ask to put it on your Driverās License until you check into the rules of having diabetes and driving in your state, Some of the states are pretty bad I gather and want all sorts of paperwork from your Doctors and wonāt let you drive until itās submitted and cleared.
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Iām from Canada and have to have a full clearance every 2yrs from my Dr. I think its on there that Iām insulin dependantā¦ had it done a second time last year. They said see you in 2! But yes, its a pain to do that!! I get in advance notice and paper work at least 6months prior so i can do it in that time and Iām not losing my license over it. I gather if there was trouble with my health it would take longer and i wouldnt be able to drive then.
Not clear whether those asking about medical ID are concerned that you shouldnāt be wearing one or that you should. Youāre in a spot between work safety and personal safety.
The ID might fall under American with Disabilities Act and accommodations. If youāre getting conflicting concerns, I would suggest asking for the hospitals position and getting those on each side together.
I have been a member of Medic Alert since I was diagnosed diabetic. They have many pendant necklaces that they engrave all the needed info on the back, while the front has the alert medical sign. You are given a # unique to you, which is also on the ID along with the Medic Alert phone number. Anyone in an ER or doctors office can call in and get whatever info you choose to share. Diabetes would be engraved and obvious to the responder, but other things like allergies or who they should call on your family or friend listing.
Why not have it embroidered on the front of your scrubs? Or even cheaper, buy some of those military patches used for name tags. Sew the patch where a front pocket would be and in permanent marker write T1 Diabetic in big bold letters? Safe, secure, fairly permanent, obvious and safe from grabbing hands.
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Those of you near high voltage or an MRI machine might ask if a plastic wrist band like those often used in hospitals here would be acceptable.
Interesting. My wife is an OR nurse who has worked at two hospitals, and 2 surgery centers over the course of the last 20 years and there has never been a ban on things such as her medical alert ID bracelet. Also, sheās worn a name tag at all 4 places.
What state or country are you located in?