Verbal order

[RN_MishMish]

Hi!

What do we know about verbal/telephone orders

1. Do they need to be co-signed by the practitioner who ordered?

2. What type of orders can or can not be given via verbal order to an RN for signature. examples: standing order for diabetic supplies, eval & treat PT, orders for home health. All orders are either part of a standing orders protocol, or, if not than directly discussed with the provider. The question remains - would you initial or sign on it?

Oy... I wish it would have been straight forward. maybe it is

Any information is well appreciated, thanks in advance!

[Burnt Out, ASN, RN]

Your facility should have a P&P on the time-frame when verbal/telephone orders are co-signed by the physician: usually 24-48 hours.

Most facilities will have guidelines about acceptable/non-acceptable verbal orders. At the last facility I worked at, we could not take a verbal or telephone order for DNR under any circumstance. If the physician couldn't come to the hospital to write the DNR order, it could be faxed after being notarized-it's been a couple of years since I've worked there and can't remember 100%. A lot of facilities are cracking down on verbal orders due to issues of misunderstanding and only allow them in an emergency for meds, procedures, etc.

I have written many telephone orders in my time and when I've gotten a "verbal order" from a doc that is standing there talking to his golfing buddy or whatever and it clearly wasn't an emergency, I'd ever so sweetly ask them to co-sign right then and there or ask them to write and remind them of the policy.