VO's READ BACK & VERIFIED

[rnhomeind]

Have any of you had any problems with implementing the reg to have all verbal orders read back & verified? We have alot of docs that when we call them for a verbal their staff have to take the message & get back with us. The problem is playing phone tag, we don't use voicemails, we do have pagers, but we can't always depend on the Dr. getting back with us same day! We are on laptops & when entering all verbal orders, have to click a radio box that states the vo has been read back & verified. I've brainstormed & came up to have my staff when calling for a verbal order, to state "here's my pager number, if I don't hear back from you, I'll consider this order to be authorized", then we read back & verify. But I have some nurses that come up with reasons why this won't work....I get so frustrated that many people do not understand the homecare world we live in! How about when you call for a verbal order & the office nurse working for the MD asks for you to just fax the request to them after you've informed them your homecare!! I'm in the middle of a corn field...I'll get that fax right to you. We had a verbal order line for a while, but it was a nightmare, I spent all of my time, trying to solve what the orders were for, etc.

Thanks...Angi

[renerian, BSN, RN]

Angi yes it can be a nightmare with no resolution.

renerian

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

NO voice mail---ouch!

I've brainstormed & came up to have my staff when calling for a verbal order, to state "here's my pager number, if I don't hear back from you, I'll consider this order to be authorized", then we read back & verify

Nope, not a good idea.

How about when you call for a verbal order & the office nurse working for the MD asks for you to just fax the request to them after you've informed them your homecare!! I'm in the middle of a corn field...I'll get that fax right to you.

FAX seems to be your best bet here in a laptop environment as faxes open 24/7 in most communities.

READ BACK AND VERIFED- to the doctor's staff as go-between doc and nurse. Type: verbal order of Dr. Happy Jones per staff SuzzyQ. Print out order that night or next AM upon return to office and fax over for signature.

I saw in Home Health line that one agency gave their fulltime staff a fax machine just for agency paperwork as such distance to travel!

OR hire physician liasion who spends three days a week tracking doctors down with outstanding verbal orders/plans of treatment greater than 60 days as we've needed to do in our urban/suburban agency. (It amazes me that the doctors ever get paid for ANYTHING, with the pile of paperwork left on desks!)