Published Nov 1, 2009
pinkiepie_RN
998 Posts
I was going through charts at work recently (chart checks, yay!) and found that nursing students were writing A&O x 4, WDWN in their notes. Now, I knew what A&O x 4 stood for but the WDWM puzzled my colleagues and I. I've now discovered that it stands for well developed, well nourished, but it's not something I would put in my individual patient notes and it's not an abbreviation I learned in nursing school. What do you all have to say about that? Was I just sheltered as a student?
Cassaundra
52 Posts
I was never tought to use it and I graduated in May. We were given a specific list of abbreviations that were "legal" and had a minor amount of leaway, but WDWN was not on the list.
Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN
4 Articles; 7,907 Posts
Never used it...never knew what it stood for until this thread, in fact :)
netglow, ASN, RN
4,412 Posts
This past semester we were told to stop using abbreviations for anything - that most facilities were changing to being wordy.
blondy2061h, MSN, RN
1 Article; 4,094 Posts
That definitely seems like something that was be more appropriate in an NP/PA/MD note than an RN note regardless of whether it's a legit abbreviation.
Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN
11,305 Posts
I didn't know what it stood for either. But the words are used by docs in the dictation re: patient visits.
It has been a few years but legally we cannot use abbreviations at all.
steph
caliotter3
38,333 Posts
I remember reading a comment similar to this in my husband's last assessment, written by a doctor. I have stopped using abbreviations since one of my last employers stopped the practice with the list of nonapproved abbreviations.
caroladybelle, BSN, RN
5,486 Posts
Never heard of this one.
I requested a copy of my ER visit and was kinda insulted when I saw that the doc wrote "Well developed, well nourished" . ..... I thought it was a way to say . . . FAT.
steph:D
EtoseLvr03
12 Posts
I've never seen that abbreviation before. However, it looks like something the primary care physician would "write out" in their assessment.
elkpark
14,633 Posts
I requested a copy of my ER visit and was kinda insulted when I saw that the doc wrote "Well developed, well nourished" . ..... I thought it was a way to say . . . FAT. steph:D
It doesn't mean "fat," it means "healthy."
mamamerlee, LPN
949 Posts
I know I've seen WDWN for over 35 years, but usually only in an initial assessment done by an MD/PA. And, no, it does not apply to the obese - they need to say obese! Needless to say, it should only be used for those patients who are relatively 'normal' in height & weight. It is one of those abbreviations that needs to be abandoned.