Giving the Manager my Brains

Ruby Vee, BSN · Nov 14, 2007

what do you think about a manager asking for my notes i take during a telephone report so he can save it "to show to jcaho?"
the manager also wants everyone to use the same "brains" instead of letting each nurse use what they are most comfortable with.
legally can i be forced to give my personal notes to anyone? i always thought they were just for my personal use to help me organize my report and to answer questions the patient or the doctor might have throughout my shift. i am not signing them so they are not a legal document, right? then how can jcaho be authorized to view them? i personally use slang abbreviations such as "mj" for marijuana use and things like "noncompliant" that i don't really want others to see.
what do you think?

i hope you told your manager "no effing way" and prompty shredded your notes! they are for your own use, and as long as you don't take them home and save them (as was suggested upthread) they're nobody's business but your own!

Natkat, BSN, MSN, RN · Nov 14, 2007

The hospital where I am clinicals now has a sheet that we use to get report, but it it not considered part of the permanent record. I think I would have an issue with that too.

The clinic I work for is involved in a lawsuit, so anything, ANYTHING that we write on a piece of paper has to be saved. This is not a JCAHO requirement. This is just to satisfy the terms of the lawsuit. As an aside, though, no is standing over us to make sure we do it.

Bottom line - I guess it varies from one facility to another for various reasons. If it's not a requirement, I certainly wouldn't turn them over to anyone. I'd shred them too.