Drs. handwriting - Can you read it well?

Hi. I was just wondering how you deal with not being able to read a drs. handwriting, because even though I am not a nurse, a lot of times I cannot read the Prescriptions that my drs. write out, therefore I wonder how nurses deal with this? When you have to go back to the Dr. to ask questions, are they usually nice or do they act like you should have been able to read it?

Specializes in ICU,ED, Corrections, dodging med-surg.

It really shouldn't be tolerated. Com'on..your smart enough to go to med school. Write orders that are legible. Nurses don't have time to play Sherlock Holmes! And..WHO"S gonna get in trouble if a mistake was made?..yup... It is just disrespectful. Not everyone has been there 20 yrs to know your every slant!

Specializes in Pediatric Private Duty; Camp Nursing.

I think I heard that med schools are addressing this issue and requiring them to practice writing legibly. Maybe that was the block letters someone mentioned earlier. In teachers' college, I had to learn how to write in perfect Zaner-Bloser form (think: the alphabet that goes across the front of the room above the chalkboard, that's what the font is called) and one of our finals included a page of the entire alphabet written on kid-size lined paper. We also had to demonstrate neatness on the board. That perfect "kindergarten teacher" lettering you see teachers do doesn't happen by accident!

I almost fell over the other day when I was going through a patients chart and saw the most perfect handwriting I've ever seen from a doctor. It looked like it was something out of a teenaged girls diary. Not flowery and filled with hearts dotting the i's but very neat, well spaced script.

I chalked it up to her getting too much sleep and not enough stress.

Specializes in Cardiac Nursing.

One hospital I worked in in AZ had two doctors that neatly printed their orders, sometimes two pages worth if they were admission orders. One doc was a surgeon the other wasn't. I asked the latter about it once and he said "printing my orders legibly keeps you from having to call me at 3AM for clarification".

On another note, the surgeon who also printed her orders, we LOVED her. Would even put pt's on the bedpan if she was passing by a room and the pt called out, then would let us know "so and so is on the bedpan" Definately not to many of those kind of docs around.

I can't believe this is something we as nurses still have to contend with. I agree with other posters who say it is disrespectful and who can't believe JCAHO still allows this. There really is no reason computerized orders shouldn't be the standard - other than the push back from doctors. Patient safety? Meh...

A Nursing Educator once told us that legally, as RNs, we are not supposed to “interpret” an order. What we should do is “carry out” the order. Thus, if an order is not clearly written, we should contact the Doctor and clarify. And yes, I’ve done that numerous times. The Dr. might be upset-----but it’s your job and your license on the line. I am not guessing if the dosage is 1.0 mg or 10 mg-----I am definitely calling him up! And not because all patients got 10 mg ,it would mean that patient z should get 10 mg too!

Specializes in Emergency.

Not silly at all. My hospital has just addressed this issue. Effective 2/1, all md orders (except emergency or telephone) must be put into the computer system by the doc.

Specializes in Burn, CCU, CTICU, Trauma, SICU, MICU.

If I am working in places that have paper order's, I call the docs - a lot. If I can't easily read your writing, I will ask 1 other person. If they can't, you are getting a phone call and I don't particularly care if what time of the night it is. Maybe they will learn that if they want orders carried out, the need to write like an adult.

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
I can't believe this is something we as nurses still have to contend with. I agree with other posters who say it is disrespectful and who can't believe JCAHO still allows this. There really is no reason computerized orders shouldn't be the standard - other than the push back from doctors. Patient safety? Meh...

*** Or push back from nurses. After many years of reading and taking hand written orders we now have physician computer order entry. This doesn't allow me to write the orders the way I want them to read, the way they should read. I hate it as our resident don't really have any idea how to properly write many of the orders and I have to call them to get them to change them. One example is PICC line orders. I have resident writing for me to place them in a particular arm or vein, or writing the number of lumen I should place. Sure I can an do educate them but just as soon as I get one set of resident straightened out we get another group of them. Another example is that our resident seldom worite for PRN ABGs when they write vent orders and I have to call them and get them to add the PRN ABG order. In my experience physician order entry has only increased the number of calls to physicians for clairification.

There have been many, many times we've had to call and clarify orders for lack of readability! I've even gone so far as to fax the order over to have it "translated". :)

I'd rather get chewed out for asking than writting a wrong order any day.

One day, yule think back on these times of bad handwriting by doctors as "the good old days" because once they start to introduce the pull down note book style information terminals. It will have an impact on the time it takes to process an order or to, get things done. I am afraid of my interpretations of far out handwritings, but there are only so many things a doctor can write on an order. Doctor can't start writing about a football game as he is prescribing lovonox, right?

Thank of these as the good old days, because they are, in my opinion.

Legibility remains a major concern. Our corrective actions include:

-- Legislating compliance (we created a policy mandating legibility)

-- Education (reminding them that legibility is mandatory)

-- Monitoring (identifying problem individuals and working with them to achieve acceptable compliance)

Persistence is the ultimate weapon.

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