Need help knowing how to read a dr's orders??!!

[cillanurse2009]

:redpinkhe OK I NEED SOME "LATE" ADVICE, I'M GOING TO BE GRADUATING FROM AN ADN PROGRAM THIS MAY AND I'M STILL CONFUSED ON HOW TO READ THE DR'S ORDERS! NOT THE HANDWRITING IN PARTICULAR BUT FOR INSTANCE, WHEN MY INSTRUCTOR SAYS "GO CHECK YOUR DR ORDERS AGAINST YOUR MAR OR SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY NEW ORDERS", WELL MY QUESTION IS FOR PATIENTS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR DAYS AND DAYS, SOMETIMES THERE WILL BE 6 ORDERS SHEETS, DO I START AT THE BACK OR JUST LOOK AT THE FRONT MORE RECENT PAGES? LIKE I ALWAYS JUST START ON THE FIRST ADMISSION ORDER TO SEE IF MY DRUGS ARE STILL ALL THERE BUT IS THERE ANOTHER WAY, I DONT KNOW HOW THIS IS REALLY DONE LIKE WHEN YOU JOIN YOUR SHIFT AND CHECK ORDERS AGAINST THE MAR WHERE DO YOU START?! HOPE THIS ISNT CONFUSING BUT I'M CONFUSED! :uhoh21:

ANY HELP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!

THX! :)

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

I always assumed that the previous nurse checked the orders written during her shift. So, begin with the most recently written orders and work backward toward the admission orders if you have time. If you find a missed order from days ago, the mistake has been made by not only you, but by many others who failed to find the mistake long before you did.