Dislike charting???

TazziRN, RN · Sep 18, 2007

No. The charting really isn't all that bad. Yes, it's more than just an ER flow sheet but it's not as bad as some HH nurses make it out to be. I have never taken paperwork home unless I found out just as I was leaving that I had an open first thing in the morning, then I would take an open packet home and fill in what info I could to get started.

Give it a try. If the paperwork is everything you fear, give it six months and leave, but if you don't try you will never know, will you?

caliotter3 · Sep 30, 2007

If you are doing regular home care shift visits, all you are responsible for is a record of the visit, signing the med/tx sheets to show what meds/tx you did that shift, and miscellaneous communication notes only if they are necessary. If your patient is on a vent, you will need to note the vent settings at the beginning and ending of your shift and any time there is some kind of change. If you call the MD and get an order, you will have to write that order down and follow up with the disposition of the form for this. Your time card may be separate or it may be part of your visit sheet. Most agencies use some form of a flow sheet with all kinds of prompts printed on the sheet. Usually they are one 8 1/2" by 11" sheet long or two sheets, folded in half. The flow sheet has enough prompts and room on it for you to cover everything you did for the client. There may be a short area for you to place a short narrative note to cover anything not covered elsewhere. Since most home care is routine in nature, most nurses do their flow sheets during their shift, and pretty much say the same thing unless, of course, something different occurred. If you are not doing care visits, but are doing supervisory visits, then you would have to fill out a sup visit form for your monthly visit, and deal with any of the OASIS paperwork that has been assigned to you. Your agency will teach you about the OASIS paperwork. Really, in all reality, it is not as difficult as most people make it appear to be. Where people get overwhelmed, and have legitimate complaints, is that they are making too many visits per day, along with the necessary paperwork and are doing on-call, along with any necessary paperwork. As I said, if you are doing care visits, most of your flow sheet can be completed during your shift or shortly thereafter. Good luck with your new position. Hope you enjoy hh.