Taking admission orders over the phone.

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I just recently started working in a trauma 2 ED and often ED docs give me thier phone so admitting docs can give me the admission orders. I have to stop everything I'm doing (I'm usually in the middle of doing 3 things at the same time) to take these orders. Meanwhile the docs/residents are at the desk talking or already on the computer. Is this normal at other EDs? Aren't the docs that have seen the patients in better position to enter these orders including medications & labs, not to mention they enter orders all the time? How does it work in your ED? Just a little frustrated!

:banghead:

Specializes in ER/Trauma.
direct admits through the ER?
The minute I wrote that post, a little voice told me I should have clarified - but hey, it's summer, the pool was calling and I felt like a swim :p

No, I mean direct admits to the floor (I worked an Ortho-med-surg-tele-neuro floor before I came to ED). Usually a Doc would just call us and give admission orders over the phone. Pt. comes straight to us, bypassing the ER.

Of course, this sort of thing was not usual practice... but yes, it does happen :)

cheers,

PS: I should also say that sometimes, our ER docs would simply take down admitting orders and put 'em in the chart and let us know that the orders are in and the pt. can go to the floor when they have a bed. God I love it when they do that! :D

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Well tonight I took verbal orders over the phone and this not supposed to happen now with our new system, EPIC. AND, the Doc was quite rude. Our hospital gave all the docs I guess these 'palm pilots" so they can enter orders from wherever they are. But I knew this was going to happen, Docs can do anything they want. They don't have to play by the rules like the rest of us. When I heard we were going to this new system I knew they would not be compliant.So, this Doc went on "the list" of offenders. Hopefully our Ceo of nursing will do something about it.

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Specializes in ER.
Well tonight I took verbal orders over the phone and this not supposed to happen now with our new system, EPIC. AND, the Doc was quite rude. Our hospital gave all the docs I guess these 'palm pilots" so they can enter orders from wherever they are. But I knew this was going to happen, Docs can do anything they want. They don't have to play by the rules like the rest of us. When I heard we were going to this new system I knew they would not be compliant.So, this Doc went on "the list" of offenders. Hopefully our Ceo of nursing will do something about it.

verbal orders over the phone are "telephone orders."

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verbal orders over the phone are "telephone orders."

Oh, yeah thats right duh, orders over the telephone ARE telephone orders. Wow guess my 3.98 GPA wasn't workin' there, huh. See this is typical in the nursing profession, I write in to share the frustration of something and some smart ass has to try to correct you. This is why people are getting out of the profession because of the dog eat dog mentality. Hey thanks for the correction, I really needed it.

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Specializes in Emergency, outpatient.

Yeah, ER06....i feel your pain.....:D

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Specializes in ER.
Oh, yeah thats right duh, orders over the telephone ARE telephone orders. Wow guess my 3.98 GPA wasn't workin' there, huh. See this is typical in the nursing profession, I write in to share the frustration of something and some smart ass has to try to correct you. This is why people are getting out of the profession because of the dog eat dog mentality. Hey thanks for the correction, I really needed it.

um, wasn't being a smart ass. Thanks, ERO6. Goodness, perhaps you need a little stress relief, vacation, and/or a time out? geeeeshh! Don't assume that because you had a simple correction that someone is being a smart ass. What's wrong with you???

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Specializes in Emergency, outpatient.
um, wasn't being a smart ass. Thanks, ERO6. Goodness, perhaps you need a little stress relief, vacation, and/or a time out? geeeeshh! Don't assume that because you had a simple correction that someone is being a smart ass. What's wrong with you???

Ouch! Guess you will straighten us all up, MassED!

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Specializes in ER.
Oh, yeah thats right duh, orders over the telephone ARE telephone orders. Wow guess my 3.98 GPA wasn't workin' there, huh. See this is typical in the nursing profession, I write in to share the frustration of something and some smart ass has to try to correct you. Hey thanks for the correction, I really needed it.

perhaps "this is why people are getting out of the profession" remark might have something to do with you. Try a little introspection.

Your sarcasm and rudeness within this post was completely unnecessary. Plus to label someone a smartass, when they merely are pointing out a simple mistake is not only obnoxious but leads one to think you have difficulty admitting when you are wrong....but with your "3.98 GPA" I suppose you already knew that. :banghead:

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.

*clears throat*

Getting back to the topic of the thread, our facility uses "pre-cut" order sheets. One for Med-Surg, one for ICU, one for Tele, a general "blank" order sheet etc.

The pre-cut ones have various 'options' and one simply ticks the boxes to initiate the appropriate orders. I like it - saves a bunch of ink and time.

Anyone else use 'em?

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Specializes in Emergency, outpatient.

That is what they are telling us NOT to use. :o

And re MassED's post, yes, we have hospitalists, and yes, we just went live last month with the CPOE, but that does not stop the admitting MDs in their offices from trying to give telephone orders, and it does not stop the EPIC people from complaining that we try to use the pre-printed forms.

Doctors are our biggest stumbling block at this point. Just like some nurses when we went to EMR, some get it quick and some just continue to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Personally I love the system, much better than Meditech, and makes my life easier. I am not spending half my shift looking for the chart, and the ED doc can no longer hoard the charts of the next 4 patients he/she wants to see. (And leave them in some patient's room.):coollook:

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Oh, yeah thats right duh, orders over the telephone ARE telephone orders. Wow guess my 3.98 GPA wasn't workin' there, huh. See this is typical in the nursing profession, I write in to share the frustration of something and some smart ass has to try to correct you. This is why people are getting out of the profession because of the dog eat dog mentality. Hey thanks for the correction, I really needed it.

yeah!

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.
topic[/b] of the thread, our facility uses "pre-cut" order sheets. One for Med-Surg, one for ICU, one for Tele, a general "blank" order sheet etc.

The pre-cut ones have various 'options' and one simply ticks the boxes to initiate the appropriate orders. I like it - saves a bunch of ink and time.

Anyone else use 'em?

We have them for all those areas, but when I take phone orders, it is usually just a short list to get them admitted, and the doc comes in later to fill out the whole mess. No way do I have time to go through all 6 or 10 pages for them to try to remember to tell me what to tick off.

But, as I said in an earlier post, I'm quite willing to take some admit orders on the phone so I can get a room assigned and the patient moving!

(Play nice now guys, ahem)

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