Should penmanship be a mandatory course for physicians?

[DichloroacetateAl]

Does anyone here experience problems or difficulties deciphering a doctor's chicken scratch? I personally think that doctor should take a course on penmanship in college; it would our job easier. Their illegible writing puts patients at risk.

Question: Anyone want to hazard a guess as to what has been written on the order?

[minnymi]

can't translate that one....maaaaybe if it were directly facing me instead of an angle.

it is a safety issue for sure. of course, if you're ever in doubt then you know the drill....but it would be nice to not have to wonder.

one hospital in my area has gone to electronic orders which is NICE and much safer. the ER hasn't, but the docs are right there anyway so it's not really a problem. i had a chart the other day where the doc wrote the orders pretty sloppy, signed their first name with something illegible, but then wrote their last name AND phone number so neatly in morificecript right below it. i thought that was so cool....and considerate. probably a former nurse! lol

[Asystole RN]

Problem: Handwriting

Solution: Electronic orders

By the way, this is by far not only a physician problem but an everyone problem.

[Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN]

I thought "Illegible Handwriting 101" *was* a required course for med students!?!

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Not a problem where I work, as we utilize CPOE. (computerized physician order entry)

[MattNurse, MSN, RN]

To me that looks like Enalapril 10mg #30 1 daily for blood pressure, but I would clarify that order.

[amoLucia]

When you can't read someone's handwriting, just call them!!! I'm sure it won't be the first time his/her penmanship has been questioned! And if they're bothered enough times, they either will improve or not. But at least you did pursue remediation. Until YOU are 100% sure, you have to keep questioning. It is what it is or isn't!

I'm pretty good at deciphering scribbles but I'd probably call for your example. It is a bad one. But on that note - why limit penmanship classes to just physicians??? Many nurses are just as much as fault!!! And some of the other disciplines, too.

Poor writing has long been a standing joke in healthcare. (It's also been identified during some State surveys.) Maybe that's one of the reasons for going computer!?!

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

All CPOE here too. Even before we had it the physicians never actually wrote orders themselves.

[noahsmama]

In nursing school they taught us that if you don't document it, you didn't do it. I think a corollary should be, if you don't document it legibly, you didn't document it! (or in the case of a physician, you didn't order it!).

But yes, going to all electronic charting/orders will eventually solve this problem.

[MattNurse, MSN, RN]

Hospital uses handwriting course to improve legibility, overturn JCAHO RFI - www.hcpro.com

I have read studies about this problem. OP, you may find the article from the link above interesting.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

They have removed penmanship at my children's school and have removed cursive altogether from the curriculum. It will be a sad day when the Declaration of Independence can't be read by the average Joe because they were never taught cursive.

[amoLucia]

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They have removed penmanship at my children's school and have removed cursive altogether from the curriculum. It will be a sad day when the Declaration of Independence can't be read by the average Joe because they were never taught cursive.

WOW! I know it's been documented that kids have difficulty with non-digital clocks/watches, esp timepieces that only have those little dashes (no numbers). And Roman numerals will soon be a lost - no more Super Bowl ### or MMXII.