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 Community Health Nurse.

Some write neat, some write in a "legible" way, and some half write legibly and half scribble. I've seen all types of handwriting, and not just from docs either. :nurse:

Hi. I just signed log in. I am going to take my NCLEX exam soon. Can you please help me out? Its making me anxious. I heard a lot of things. Can you please share to me your experiences? Thanks guys! Or better yet e-mail me: [email protected]

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

I work in an ICU, and we round with our docs. They're trained to SAY their orders as they write them, and this helps considerably. (If you know what the order is supposed to say, it's easier to decipher the handwriting, usually!) Sometimes they say one thing and write another, and then you have to call them . . . but most of them figure out early that if they're rude to the experienced ICU nurses, their lives are far less easy than the lives of their colleages who are NOT rude!

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

One surgeon used preprinted orders....about 20 per page and then would write in every available empty space on the page for another 20 or so orders. We would get calls from other floors asking us to come down and read orders. I used to do it but then stopped and told our staff to make occurrence reports. He never changed and soon thereafter he retired to another state.

I liked him, but he sure wouldn't back me up if I screwed up an order.

We also had PG 1, 2,3,4 &5 th year residents who would have beautiful penmanship, then slide into slob once they went into practice. THOSE would skewer you for a dropped comma.

I work in a nursing home so most of our orders are verbal over the phone, but when our new admissions come or our pt's return from the hospital, we have a hard time understanding the writing. I have had to call the hospitals frequently to get clarification. I also don't let any Dr leave from seeing his pt's till I go over all the orders with him/her!

I worked with a doc that was sooooo bad...he couldn't read it either when asked to clarify! He would just cross it out. He started typing out his orders. Then he bought a computer program that typed in his hand writing. LOL

Specializes in Medical Surgical.

I've had instances where doctors chewed me out for not being able to read their handwriting on orders. Once I had to get the hospital supervisor involved because he REFUSED to clarify it. I had another who told me I'd just have to figure it out because he couldn't read it either (and he'd just written it 30 minutes before). With this doctor, we'd asked another doctor for help with it and he said he couldn't even try to decipher it because the order had obviously been written by some sort of nonhuman creature, probably not even a primate. :} And as far as progress notes, about 10% are basically illegible. Bring on the computers and make them mandatory for the doctors. Who has time for this nonsense?

One of the hardest parts of my RN refresher course was reading doctor's orders. I can't believe how much dificultry I had with this. I was wondering if any of your hospitals are using computerized orders??? Has it made a big difference in doing your job? Any hints on how to figure out doctor's handwritings? It was driving me crazy trying to decipher orders. I know it will get easier with experience, but what does a new nurse do in the meantime?

Krisssy RN

All the things a new nurse has to learn can seem overwhelming at first - but don't give up! It will get better with more time.

One very important thing is to not be scared or intimidated to clarify orders. We do have one particular Dr. whose handwriting is just unreadable. There were so many complaints that the doc had to go before some comiittee and was required to dictate orders (which were transcribed immediately and printed for each particular unit.) This worked great until the doc slowly but surely tapered off from being compliant with that method. Now each nurse just tries to catch this doc before he leaves the unit to read over his orders with him listening. Great for that particular nurse but not the ones coming on afterward. More complaints may have to be made.

Try getting another nurse in your unit to help you work on that particular issue. Do you have a preceptor or have you completed that phase? Make yourself a plan on how to tackle this problem. Anyway - like I said before, just don't be afraid to clarify orders if there is a question - remember - you are responsible for the "5 rights." It really does get better.

At hte old facility I used to work at, there were handwritten orders...a few of which NO-ONE could decipher! Usually had to wait till day shift came on to call that particular dr so it could be clarified.

The new facility I am going to has computerized orders...I think I'm gonna like that! Especially since I am working nights again and really get frustrated when we had to wait for days (shift) to clarify.....

We usually take an unreadable order to every nurse, then the unit secretary and then the house doctor. If that fails we call the doc. Of course if the doc just left we call him first. Don't worry- someone usually recognizes the meaning- then it all becomes apparent to the rest of us. Good luck and try not to worry.

I know this is silly, but it is something that really gets under my skin. Every time I'm looking through a chart and looking at Dr's orders/progress notes, it seriously looks like a 2 year old just scribbled on some paper....and I'm supposed to know how to read this!?!? I mean, it's kind of important that I read the Dr's order right? Is there a trick to it? Does anybody else have the same problem as I do? I'm graduating in May and I'm scared that I'll never be able to read their chicken scratch!

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