In nursing, one spends a great deal of time charting - documenting everything you have done. As the saying goes, "If it's not charted, it's not done". I understand the importance of good charting. Clear communication is imperative in health care. For example, how and when do you know to give a medication if it hasn't been clearly charted. The down side of all of this writing, is that it takes time away from our patients. I doubt there are many nurses that sought out the profession to spend time on a computer. And if they do love the paper work more, I think they are probably the "research" type nurse, or "insurance" type nurse. But I am the "people" type nurse, and would much rather be with my patients than a document. So I find a balance as best I can.
It should never happen, but once in a while we may forget to chart something. That information must be charted when the omission is discovered, and the chart note is proceeded with the words"Late Entry". I'm going to borrow those words for some blog posts coming up. It's not so much that I forgot to write them, I just didn't have time. All those pesky homework assignments getting in the way of my blog time. The nerve! So, even though fall semester is over and in the can (movie, not garbage), I'm going to keep writing about it. Just think the words, "Late Entry" before reading them...and it will all make sense.
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