Correcting MAR at Change Over

caliotter3 · Jan 9, 2015

Do not understand what you are asking. If the MAR needs to be corrected, you correct it, no matter what time you make the discovery. Our house supervisor went over all printed MARs at end of month changeover, and made any necessary hand-written corrections. Other than that, from day to day, the nurse who discovers a discrepancy has the responsibility to make the correction. That is just standard operating procedure.

caliotter3 · Jan 9, 2015

BTW, when I make a handwritten addition or change to the MAR, I will write the date of the order in the block where the order is written. That way, someone can refer to the order copy in the chart according to that date to make sure I transcribed it correctly or to try to get a better understanding of the original order. (There have been cases of nurses pulling "orders" out of their rear to write on the MAR. No copy of the original order, don't write it on the MAR. That should be a given.)

Stephen123 · Jan 10, 2015

I know you correct it, no matter what. What I'm asking is... what are the rules for making the corrections. Can you change mg or do you have to write the whole order over ?And are there any references to support this?

sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN · Jan 10, 2015

i have wtitten on the physician orders

correction computer order of 1/7/15 should be

mom 30ml, not 30mg

po , q day prn constipation

dr xyz/ nurse, RN

1/9/15

then I make the corrections on the MAR

Stephen123 · Jan 10, 2015

Well in a big disagreement at work. I say you follow dr order as written and correct the paper mar at change over. You do not have to re write the whole order over on the paper MAR. On the paper Mar you cross out the time and change it if wrong or cross out mg and change it as long as the order on the paper MAR has not been used or given or signed for there is nothing wrong with changing/correcting it. After it has been used given etc then you cross it out and re write the whole new order. As long as readable and not in use it does not matter how corrections are done. People do not have the best hand writing etc. The problem comes when you re write everything and make a mess of the paper MAR before used. But I can,t find any documentation for NYS law or rules any plae so wondering how other long term care nurses are doing this. we have 3 nurses for 108 residents and time is a large concern?

MrChicagoRN, RN · Jan 10, 2015

Everyone should be doing it the same way.

What do your policies and your manager/DON say about correcting an error?

That is ultimately what you need to follow.

Stephen123 · Jan 10, 2015

What the DON says and what the ADM says are two different things, so looking for concrete rules, are there any?

caliotter3 · Jan 11, 2015

Facility policy, or in lieu of that, what the boss says. As far as "rules", no. If you want "rules" you should write a letter to your State Board and see if someone there will provide you with a policy paper on the subject. You said that you change the time in the same set of "blocks". We have been specifically told not to do this because it makes a holy mess out of it. If the administration time is changed, then the order is rewritten and the old block is d/c'd off with the notation "see below", or "see page X". You can also write, "Changed 11/12/12, see page X".