No real time for bedside nursing...I have got to chart!

[Ms.muhammadRN]

I feel like the art of bedside nursing is being totally compromised by the overwhelming amount of charting. No real time for bedside nursing...I have got to chart.

[CecileSF]

I've stayed overtime to chart before because treating the patient is more important, but I really keep it to a minimum to cover myself if I ever have to go to court. Some days it is so busy in my department that I don't chart anything except for meds, orders, physician interactions for 4-6 hours. I make notes on my paper for everything else and back chart. Honestly, doctors want to know you gave treatment/meds in a timely manner, not that you did your 30 minute charting according to protocol. My priority for charting is 1)protection from litigation and 2)giving the oncoming nurse enough info to do their job. And I never double chart unless it is absolutely necessary and the info cannot be seen from another place.