Patient care or charting first?

[BSNbeauty, BSN, RN]

I've worked with many nurses who have a different take on which one is a priority. Some nurses feel patient care is a priority and basically wait until near the end of the shift to chart anything. On the other hand, I've worked with nurses who will continue to chart if a pt. is calling for them and etc.

I remember one time when I was training in the ICU, my preceptor yelled at me for responding to a code (not my patient) instead of charting.

What do you all do? After you've assessed the patient do you start charting or do you carry on with other things that come up and chart last ?

[loriangel14, RN]

I try to chart throughout the day.After my AM med pass and my initial assessments/vs and AM cares I will sit down and try to get some basic charting done on everyone. Of course if there are bells ringing I have to stop and go and answer it but I still manage to get about half my charting done before lunch. Our manager audits our charting and waiting until the end of the shift and then doing a whole bunch of charting is frowned upon.But on my floor you wouldn't sit down and chart as long as there were still people that needed a wash.

[beeker]

Patient care first, charting comes second. Sometimes if I am too busy or my patients are needy, the charting is what suffers. I CYA and chart the important stuff but don't get as detailed. Always make CYA charting a priority though.

[BSNbeauty, BSN, RN]

I agree patient care always comes first. I chart to CYA, if I miss something very minute than I'm not going to stress about it.

[ToothFairy(5)]

Patient care comes first and foremost. I will chart as I can when I can but the patient is first always.

[LaceyRN12]

Patient care first, charting comes second. Sometimes if I am too busy or my patients are needy, the charting is what suffers. I CYA and chart the important stuff but don't get as detailed. Always make CYA charting a priority though.

What is CYA?? See ya? (lol)

[Altra, BSN, RN]

This thread title reminds me of "do you carry your lunch or walk to school". Both of these responsibilities are paramount. Asking if I prioritize one over the other ... depends on which second of the day it is.

[PalmHarborMom]

What is CYA?? See ya? (lol)

CYA at the hospital I do clinicals at is Cover Your A...

[Katie71275]

Patient Care first. Maybe mine is a little diff b/c I'm in a specialty(L&D), but I find it's not that bad. We usually have 1-2 patients, and computers are at the bedside as well as at the front desk. I'm still on orientation, but I've assessed my pt and charted at the bedside and been done with her for that hour(we chart q1hr). I could see though if you are on a busy medsurg floor how crazy it could get.

[S.G.]

My last facility was fortunate enough to have computers in every patient room so I tried to chart while I was doing. I would do my morning assessment and am meds all at the same time and chart each time while in the room. If I didn't, I got behind and had to play catch up. That being said, patient care always comes first. If I'm charting and a patient needs something, I go to the patient. In any emergency situation, patient first but I try to take notes or at least do partial charting that I can catch up on later.