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 you cannot read the order call the Doctor and clarify. This is a patient safety issue.
They must be accountable for their own practice. It doesn't matter if it is day or night.
I read a great book by a medical sociologist who studied nurses - his theory, after seeing small crowds of nurses trying to decipher particularly difficult scrawls, was that it's about power: the doctor's too busy to take the time to write legibly, and the nurses have nothing but time to work out what he meant. The author discussed how ridiculous this attitude is, both in terms of wasting nursing time and because of the potential massive consequences for patients.
Sorry...but taking illegible doctor's orders from nurse to nurse, rather than clarifying the order with the MD is like the childhood game of telephone. Always call the MD.
This is exactly why I will always prefer to work in a facility with electronic records. Where I did clinicals, the hospitals did not have any electronic records...it was a nightmare!
our hospital is currently in transitioning between written orders to computerized order entry. It has already started on a few selected units and will continue to roll out til the DOs on each unit in the hospital are all entering orders in the computer. The unit I am on currently still has Dr's orders in writing and I agree, some are extremely difficult to decipher. But the more you become aquainted with the docs and know their particular approach to patient care, the easier it becomes to read/understand.
We watched a Mosby video last week about medication errors. The acting was horrible, but what was really unbelievable was how neat the doctor's orders were! They were printed with nice, even letters and numbers. I almost laughed out loud when I saw it.
Why can't life be like a Mosby video....
Well, I just got into the Medical field myself, so I have not been doing this long. The problem I have is not just the Dcotors handwriting, it is the people training and saying to me, " well it takes a good year to get comfortable in this position, and just ask someone if you can't read the order". Then when going to people { other secretaries, or nurses} to ask them what is this doctor saying? and eyes roll, and heads turn, as to say, what is she stupid? When they tell ya it takes a while to get it. People, this is the first time I have ever had to read doctors orders in my life..! GIVE ME A BREAK! I am doing my very best. I am starting to get it, but it just isn't going to happen over night. I have noticed that some doctors do write some of thier stuff repeatively depending on the pt.'s illness and tests, but when you like me and they have ya jumping around to all different areas, then some of it is going to take time. I tell ya, I can't wait till the EMR hits the Hospital, I know it will make life easier, then my job will be less stressfull. But for now, I guess I will just deal with the stress, because I need a job, and so far in the last year, this is the only offer I got. With so much competition out there, I can not be too picky. I figure with time, and practice, it has to get better. confused I must say I get!
If I'm going to sign off on an order I don't give a **** if so and so says it looks like Dr. Cantreadmywriting wrote blah blah blah. I have to be able to read what is written. Call the physician if you can't read what is written.
canoehead, BSN, RN
6,909 Posts
As you spend more time on the job you'll get used to handwriting of your most popular docs, and also guess better because you'll know the protocols. Ask another person and if neither of you can read it, just call.