Charting when there are nursing students

[kjnsweets]

I have a question. We have students that are present at our facility for clinicals. We still do paper charting. Some of the nurses that I work with do not chart the whole time that the students are here. I choose to do my own narrative charting because of cya and not charted not done. I figure it something goes to court and I don't document that I was in the room at any time that the students are present then I wasn't in the room at all. I was told that it was an understanding that the instructor is responsible for the patient. If that was the case why do I get report on these patients in the morning when the students have them. I guess I'm answering my question myself but I want to know legal issues where this is concerned. I have been in a deposition behind another nurse before and it wasn't anything nice. Don't want to go there again.

[SherluckyRN]

I just graduated in december. When we were on the floor and charted on our assigned patients, the nurse would still chart every 2 hours and chart "agree with student nurse" or they would not chart and rely on students to cover it. We still had to report to the nurse any changes. As a working nurse now, it is my responsibility to chart on my patients regardless of what students chart. Like stated above, it is our license and they don't come easy. I'm not sure if students would be called in to court. If you didn't chart it-you didn't do it!!

Students wouldnt necessary be called to court. They have no license and their malpractice is thru the school but they hv so much leeway bcuz they are learning under a licensed RN who should be supervising. At the end of day it comes down on the RN so cya at all times. Computer or paper charting still the same