RN Jobs >> Browse Articles >> Hospitals
RN Jobs >> Browse Articles >> Labor, Unions
Jail Nurses Want to Keep Full Names Secret
United Press International
August 27, 2009
A nurses’ union has asked a court to block a request by two accused killers for the last names of nurses working at the King County Jail in Seattle.
Margaret Conley, an official with the Washington State Nurses Association, said nurses at the jail fear inmates could get their home telephone numbers and addresses if they have their last names, Seattlepi.com reported.
“These are people who truly believe that the work they do can improve the community we all live in,” Conley said. “There have been threats against nurses in the past, and people are concerned about their safety.”
Joel Zellmer, a former corrections officer accused of drowning his 3-year-old stepdaughter after insuring her life, and Myron Wynn, accused of killing a man who disappeared in 1996 after trying to sell Wynn a classic car, filed separate requests for the full names of nurses.
Two nurses filed affidavits saying they are especially worried Zellmer might try to hurt their children if he knows where they live. One described him as a “constant user of the medical system” and said he “knows how to work the system at the jail.”
kalamazoo
over 3 years ago
6 comments
I think if drug addicts and criminals can be used as confidential witnesses then why can't we protect our nurses who are only doing their job? I have worked in a hospital where inmates are often taken for treatment and we were required to remove our name badges in their presence.
singsingrn
over 3 years ago
4 comments
dudesrbestnurses you cannot mean pseudo names what if you actually take a pseudo name of a real live person than that real person's life and family could be jeopardized.
ShirleyAldrich
over 3 years ago
38 comments
I don't believe that nurses last names should be given in any circumstance. This is for the safety of the nurses and their families...
dwright
over 3 years ago
8 comments
I can't believe this would even be questioned. I don't want even hospital patients to have my name. You never know.
dudesrbestnurses
over 3 years ago
4 comments
Being a nurse for the state corrections bureau in the state of NORTH CAROLINA, I honestly believe we ought to be given pseudo names for instances like like this, I have had many inmates threaten me, amongst saying other nasty comments. But it is our duty as nurses to stick together and I feel it should be brought to each and every one of our boards. I wish you all the best my boards are at least thinking about it.
nineteenseventyfive
over 3 years ago
20 comments
that is so scary. but y would an inmate want the full name of a nurse unless to do them harm
Christianna
over 3 years ago
8 comments
There is no reason or patient right that I know of that would allow these 2 killers to need the nurses names, I wouldn't even want them to have my first name, scarey to say the least.
ewashingtonharis
over 3 years ago
12 comments
Congrulations to the judge. My husband is a sergeant in a correctional facility and sometimes I feel his life is in danger. He won't let me do correctional nursing for that reason and because he has rank and fears retaliation would fall on me.
raymoss1
over 3 years ago
220 comments
I am glad that for once the nurses are protected. The judge made the right call.
swimnutt1523
over 3 years ago
746 comments
this is happening very close to where I live and I think there names should be kept private I give a thumbs up to the judge for saying no
nyanbenmommy1
over 3 years ago
106 comments
I hope justice is on their side. I honestly think they should have aliases working in that environment for this very reason.
cmoore806
over 3 years ago
4 comments
Yikes, This seems like a no-brainer.
robinkids3
over 3 years ago
8 comments
i agree..thumbs up to the judge saying 'no'...as a nurse's right. our last names are kept privileged. until court of law.
theala
over 3 years ago
418 comments
I hope the judge tells them NO. There is no reason for these inmates to know the full names of the nurses. If they want to file a lawsuit, they can still do so with the nurse's first names--it gets a bit tricky, but it can be done.
The inmates only want this information to harass these nurses as payback when they didn't get what they wanted from medical.