Handwritting and charting

[Vegeta]

Lots of people say doctors have lousy handwriting, and sometimes nurses have to call them to check what they wrote so they don't overdose the patient or give them the wrong drug.

Is it a must for a nurse to have good handwriting skills? I know communication is something very important in this area but would a nurse not even get hired if he/she had the same handwriting as a doctor or even hold the job steady?

What about charting?I often see nurses complaining that they have to chart everything, but are most hospitals charts in the computer?Or in the good ol paper? What about the end shift reports? Or is it done in the same software in a computer?

Thanks for the help

[sjalv]

I work at a hospital and our charting is half electronic, half paper. Our assessments, drug administration, etc is all charted via computer. However, we still write telephone orders and fill out protocols and fax them down to pharmacy. I guess in that case you'd need legible handwriting so the pharmacist can read what you wrote to profile it into the patient's ordered meds.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Even though we're becoming more and more EHR-based, legible handwriting will always be important because of the impact on patient safety. I know of one physician who was sanctioned by CMS due to persistent illegibility of his orders. Corrective action included the use of a scribe (that HE had to pay for) to ensure that his orders were readable - LOL.

My 'relaxed' handwriting is terrible. So, I have to slow down and make an effort whenever I am writing something related to patient care or other important documentation. If I can do it, so can you!