How common is charting ahead in ICU?

Specialties Critical

Published

Say you have to chart a complete assessment q2h...busy at 4 pm, catching up on charting at 6 pm...so charting for both 4 pm and 6pm at the same time...but also "precharting" the 8 pm assessment with the intention of going back if anything changes.

Couple questions -

1. Do you see nurses do this a lot? Is it not a big deal?

2. This is computerized charting...sure you can change the time to 8 pm, but if the chart is audited, they could see you did the 8 pm charting at 6 pm, right?

Me - nursing student in last semester...I understand there is a real world vs nclex world, but wondering where this falls.

Thank you

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I know someone who "closed" her charts at 1730 on her stable MS pts. But it was paper charting.
I would still look bad of at 1740 the patient coded and she would have to cross out a 1800 documentation of no complaints. Risky business.
Specializes in OB/GYN, L&D, Inf Prevention, CM, QI.

What you describe is fraud. It is illegal and would make you subject to termination.

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