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?

If I can't read it I go to the horses mouth instead of the butt.

We asked the nurses to make copies of the worst offenders (just the order, of course). This info was put on overhead at medical staff meeting. Even the dr who wrote the order could not read it. Also went to typed insulin orders with checkboxes for the md to designate type insulin, dose, etc. I would call the MD if there is a question. in 20+ years do not recall many who objected to having order clarified.

Our patient's rights info packet that we are giving to folks upon admission to our facility includes a paragraph about doc's writing. Tells people that if they can't read the script a doc gives them, they should demand a new one. Should be interesting to see what happens with that.

Computers, computers, computers! Haven't seen a hand written order in about four years now. I remember the ordeal of trying to figure out what exactly it is they were ordering and I don't miss those days at all.

we are totally computerized so orders can be read but sometimes we have to ask for clarification--orders are verified by both pharmacy and an rn before dispensed to pt

Specializes in Geriatrics, LTC.

Hey doctors spent alot of time in the class "bad handwriting 101"!!!

Seriously you have to be psychic to read those things!!

There's a resident doc in my town who suffers from mild cerebral palsy, and joked to the local paper that he aced his Bad Handwriting course during med school. Sad but true, I've heard his handwriting is actually one of the more legible ones on the charts.

:chuckle

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!

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