Nursing Student Charting Woes

[Joe V]

Trying to chart at the Nurses Station can be difficult for anyone. The Nursing Student is probably already on information overload. Call lights, simultaneous conversations, phones ringing - all can lead to difficulty in concentrating, stress, and the entry of erroneous information. Some hospitals have been known to utilize "stoplight noise meters" in an attempt to reduce noise. So is it any wonder some Nursing Students might try and find their own way to get peace and quiet in order to enter their documentation? What have you found that works for you?

[blah_blah_blah]

A few of the hospitals I had clinicals at had computer stations out in the halls as well as in the nurses station. We were also allowed to use 2 WOWs to share among the students. I had one instructor forbid us to use the computers in the nurses station so we only had 2 hallway computers (that were often in use by staff) and 2 WOWs for 8 students to chart AND look up info after report as well as throughout the day for our clinical paperwork. This teacher also required us to fill in EVERY blank on the chart even if it wasn't relevant. I do understand her rationale of "if you didn't chart it it didn't happen", but is it really necessary for me to chart on a MALE patient that they have not had a menstrual cycle?

Anyway, my advice is that if you have access to the WOWs, roll one off into the corner and chart. Don't make it look like you're trying to hide though, some instructors get really angry about that even if it wasn't intentional! Or you can bring some earplugs to use when you chart in the station.

[KStudentNurse70]

At my clinical rotation we have a couple computers in the hallway we are allowed to use, and we share 1 wow for 9 students, but we are not allowed to chart without our instructor anyways, so we do it at like the end of the hallway with her, we try and stay out of the way as possible.

[cracklingkraken, ASN, RN]

We were actually allowed to use the computers at the nurses' station. They had a lot of computers, so it usually wasn't an issue. However, obviously if there was a nurse needing to chart or on a COW, we would offer our seat and get the heck out of his/her way.

[Drakeheart]

During our Med/Surg clinical, we had a dedicated WOW for 6 students plus two wall computers in the hallways. Every other time we used which ever computer we could. Needless to say if any staff needed a computer we would give ours up in a hurry.

[jena5111, ASN, RN]

You can do your student nurse charting while giving priority to staff RNs. It should be fine