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If we take a phone order, it must be repeated for a witness (another nurse) who countersigns the medication chart. The MO must sign it later, (preferably sooner). If the MO is present I will get the medication ready and hand the chart to the MO for signing before administration. I have to cover my backside and the MO's tend to not only respect it but appreciate that they are getting covered as well.
we have all the orders done via computer (we use Epic) at our hospital - so the rule is verbal orders ONLY if the doc is in an emergency (ER or OR) or is off hospital grounds. Since they can enter the orders into the computer from anywhere on campus, there is no reason for them to be "lazy" anymore at our facility. I've recently entered my FIRST verbal order, and the system has it set up very easy. When we do that, the order gets sent to the doc's inbox and will keep flagging him to sign it whenever he enters the system. They have no choice but to sign them at that point or else the computer will drive them to madness. :)
We are not "supposed" to take verbal orders except in an emergency situation, as Tgirl said. If the dr is there he is supposed to write the order himself. You can imagine how well that goes over when you catch Dr X getting onto the elevator to go do a procedure and you ask him to get off and write an order for tylenol? LOL not going to happen.
Telephone orders are always OK here but we are now supposed to write "read back and confirmed" underneath (as if that guarantees anything) and then the dr signs it when he comes in on rounds.
huami4264
12 Posts
Can anyone tell me if RN's are legally suppose to take verbal orders from docs.