Ever hear of such a thing?

[LatinGirl]

We have a new DON and a new administrator at our facility and as such they are implementing new policies and procedures. Our DON sent out a memo last week informing us that the new procedure for documenting dietary orders on the MAR is to do so in pencil and when the order changes to erase and right the new order in pencil again. We have refused to do this and have called the BON for advice, but have not gotten a call back as of yet. This DON seems to think that his policies...not just this specific one, but all... supersede(sp?) anything the BON may say. What are your policies in regards to documenting dietary orders?

[regularRN]

Document in pen - black ink - if the diet order changes, strike through the old order (sign and date) and document the new order... just like one would do with computer documentation. Having the pt's dietary history available to all clinical practitioners - even if it has been amended - gives a valuable insight into the pt's status.

[noctanol]

we never use anything but pen in the hospital. We do not put dietary orders on MAR however. That is for meds only.

most hospitals are computerized ( i dont know if yours is) and the medications, wound orders and diet are TYPED and then printed. it might not be in the MAR but in the dietary sheet or something like that in permanent ink.

Back to the question, NEVER put anything in pencil, NEVER. 1 yr after you quit your job and some1 aspirates and the finger comes pointing at you, im sure you wouldnt want to go to court with some pencil ridden scratched piece of paper.

[LatinGirl]

classicdame.....we never put the dietary orders on the MAR until this new DON decided they needed to put there along with other things that have no business being on the MAR.

[LatinGirl]

Thx for all the replies guys. I have been doing as I was taught in nursing school and documenting in black ink ignoring his new policy much to his dismay. @ canesdukegirl....yes he is really out of his mind on a lot of things. We showed him the nursing practice act to prove our point on yet another one of his crazy policies and he looked at it and said well that just has to be changed. We sorta just looked at one another and just shook our heads. He is clueless! Hopefully he gets a clue real soon or is replaced by someone who actually knows what they are doing.

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

OOOOHHHH!!! How frustrating is it working with such an arrogant jackhole?!? He honestly thinks that the BON Practice Act needs to be CHANGED?!? Report. His. Tiny. Head. Write to the BON and tell them what he is doing. He is teetering on putting all of your licenses in jeopardy. Don't let him. This is clearly WRONG on his part. He shouldn't even be allowed to practice!