How much of nursing is paperwork?

[PlanetCaroline]

Here is a question that I haven't heard asked lately. How much of nursing work is charting and other forms of paperwork? Any specialties have a lot of writing, whereas others have very little? What percentage of your day is spent at a table scribbling or entering stuff in a computer?

Finally, any good stories relating to paperwork?

Just curious. Thanks :)

--Carolin

[fergus51]

I think it depends more on the facility. I am now at a place that uses flow sheets and we only do narrative charting by exception. That means if all is well, my charting is only tick marks and vitals.

I think that the more intensive specialties have more charting because they have to have assessments documented so often (once an hour in some places, as opposed to once a shift on some med surg floors). But med-surg seems to do a lot of narrative charting which is what takes forever. I swear I still have nightmares about my student days on med surg...."Alert and oriented x3 ... Blah blah blah blah....."

[USA987, MSN, RN, NP]

Most of the places we have done clinicals has flow sheets for charting as well. BUT...after having our legal seminar, I will no longer only chart by exception!!!

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Studies show that between one third and one half of a nurses' time is spent on paperwork- the amount of time goes up in critical care areas.

[jschut, BSN, RN]

95%! :D:D

[mother/babyRN, RN]

Way too much...Sigh.....