'Nurse in Charge' armbands for the captain of the care team

Distinctive red armbands for senior nursing staff are being introduced at Guy’s and St Thomas’ so that patients know who is in charge.

Nurse in Charge armbands were trialled on the Trust’s surgical wards following comments from patients who said it could be difficult to know who the senior nurse on a ward was.

After they were introduced, patients and visitors said it was now easier to quickly establish which nurse was in charge.

Sophie Royce, a patient on Alan Apley Ward at St Thomas’ Hospital, says: “The armbands are really helpful because you can clearly see which nurse is in charge.

“The nurse in charge can answer questions about your care and help sort out things like referrals, getting your medication, and arranging transport, so it’s important to know who this nurse is.

“I think the armbands are the perfect solution and my relatives coming here to visit me have also found it helpful and reassuring to be able to tell who is the senior nurse on the ward.”  

The Trust tested a range of methods for identifying the nurse in charge of a ward, including badges and bibs. As well as being clearly visible, it was essential that any new materials met the Trust’s strict standards for infection control, were cost effective, and were comfortable for the nurses wearing them.

Over the coming months the armbands will be introduced in all clinical areas of Guy’s and St Thomas’.

Dame Eileen Sills, Chief Nurse and Director of Patient Experience, says: “The armbands are like those worn by football team captains so that they can be easily identified. Our Nurse in Charge armbands show who is the most senior person responsible for the nursing team on a ward.”