Illegible Handwriting

[PurrRN]

Okay, so I realize that illegible handwriting by doctors is not a new problem, but honestly.....is it really too much to ask that something so important as medication orders and patient treatment be more than just chicken scratch? I'm horrified at the prospect of being the one responsible for deciphering the crappy handwriting I've seen in patient files. I'm only a first year student and I know I have a lot to learn, but this is frustrating because one would think that this problem would have resolved itself long ago due to SAFETY reasons!!! I had a patient record this week where I literally could only figure out the first and last letter of a med!!?? HUHH? That's so wrong. How do you (experienced) nurses figure out bad handwriting? Do you call all the time to confirm orders? Just curious because it seems so unsafe. Thanks for any input.:)

[lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN]

I'm a first semester student, and the hospital I do clinicals at does handwritten nurses' notes, and God help me if I can ever read those. Computers, people!

[AuntieRN]

Our hospital has a policy that if you can not read someones writing you have to write up an incident report and then call them. There is no guessing.

I used to work on an Ortho floor where you could not read one of the docs orders. yes we usually knew what he was ordering since he usually ordered the same thing for the same surgery on everyone..but...one day he wrote something we could not make out....the funny part is he couldnt make it out either...so he wrote....d/c above order....LOL....