Responsible fo MD?

Stargazer · Oct 23, 2002

That would seem to imply as well that the onus is on the RN to hang out at the nurses station or the chart rack, monitoring when the docs come in and write new orders, and reviewing their charting before they leave. Does anybody have the time to do this? When I was working at the bedside, I know I didn't.

adrienurse, LPN · Oct 23, 2002

Well I certainly don't, but when I participate in rounds, I am present when the MD writes the order and am involved in the dialogue that preceeds it.

mattsmom81 · Oct 23, 2002

I've had enough trouble getting then to even write the ORDERS (some love to give nurses verbal orders and scurry away)

I don't worry about progress notes. That is definitely their responsibility, IMO.

sharann, BSN, RN · Oct 24, 2002

There are NURSING PRogress notes and Physician Progress notes. I am only responsible for the nurses notes.Period. Do you see the MD's telling us to write our nurses notes? Why not? Because they barely know they exist. We are nursing, they are medical. Respiratory therapy has their notes, and we don't run after them. We just chart "RT gave tx, HHN at 0900". We should chart WHEN the doc comes in. If they neglect their work,,,their problem. Orders are trickier...

adrienurse, LPN · Oct 24, 2002

Thank you for your replies. I guess I should further explain my situation.

It drieves me crazy, when I receive a transfer from elsewhere who has been taken off a met that would be potentially helpful to their condition without any mention of why the med was d/cd. At my facility, all disciplines do there progress notes in the same area of the chart and the (female) MD is actually quite considerate of the nursing point of view.

donmurray · Oct 24, 2002

We use a multidiciplinary notes system, which has its problems, but as all entries are dated and timed, it soon points up exectly who is keeping up with events!

mattsmom81 · Oct 24, 2002

In a perfect world physician progress notes would have a decent and enlightening history, physical and plan of care documented.

Wouldn't it be wonderful...our jobs would certainly be easier.

More often than not, though, I get an unstable patient to my ICU from ER (or a transfer from another unit) and there will be little to nothing documented in progress notes...so we punt and 'think on our feet'. Some docs won't even come in to see the patient if it's after hours...they ride the 24 hr limit very well...until they see their patient they rely on phone info from the ICU nurse to manage initial orders.

I am a firm believer it is NOT my job to do the doc's work for them...they aren't paying me to make them look good. I call for new orders for my patient's sake, not theirs.

ceecel.dee, MSN, RN · Oct 24, 2002

Oh, it sure would be nice to always have that information updated daily, but that one I am not taking responsibility for.

Like Mattsmom said, it's hard enough to just get the orders written in a timely fashion.