Dr's orders will I ever learn to read their handwriting?!

I know this is silly, but it is something that really gets under my skin. Every time I'm looking through a chart and looking at dr's orders/progress notes, it seriously looks like a 2 year old just scribbled on some paper....and I'm supposed to know how to read this!?!? I mean, it's kind of important that I read the dr's order right? Is there a trick to it? Does anybody else have the same problem as I do? I'm graduating in May and I'm scared that I'll never be able to read their chicken scratch!
Truly, you will. Particularly those docs whose writing you read day after day after day. Even the handwriting of those that you see only sporadically will start to make more sense, given your ever-increasing experience with the patients, the floor and the day-in and day-out issues.And frankly, it can be a little scary when you realize that you can understand the chicken scratches!

They just went over this in school. They told us that if we are unsure about what is written (aka just lazy scribbles) then we should call the doctor and confirm the order. I don't know if this will apply in the real world but it's what we were taught.

I'm sorry, but I have to say that the title of this thread gave me a warm fuzzy, because part of my job is to convince the doctors that the new order entry system we're implementing is a lot safer for patients and will reduce medication errors due to transcription misunderstandings, etc.

Quote from myty23I know this is silly, but it is something that really gets under my skin. Every time I'm looking through a chart and looking at dr's orders/progress notes, it seriously looks like a 2 year old just scribbled on some paper....and I'm supposed to know how to read this!?!? I mean, it's kind of important that I read the dr's order right? Is there a trick to it? Does anybody else have the same problem as I do? I'm graduating in May and I'm scared that I'll never be able to read their chicken scratch!

I love new docs- they print in nice square type printing!! No questions on what they order! I have a few older docs, who over the years, I have learned there scratch! If I ever have a question I will call and ask! they havent got mad about me calling, and if they did, I would just fax over what I couldnt read (and wish them luck on reading it themselves!) Never 2nd guess a docs orders. clarify, clarify, clarify!!!!

When I was in nursing school I remember whining to my teacher that I could not understand the Dr's handwriting and I thought I would never be able to. She told me that I might not believe it, but it will come to me.Guess what? I am the one they come to now to decipher dr's orders. Once you actually learn what the abbreviations mean, them meds and the frequencies, it becomes much easier. Right now you don't kno those things, so you can't decipher them. Hang in there!

It does come easier. You learn the individual docs. Like Dr. B's x's look like ts and it confuses the heck out of you until you know that and then tanat doesn't look like some foreign med you should look up. I have called my fair share of docs and they were all polite in clarifying the one word I wasn't sure on in their order. On the other hand I always gripe "if their order is so important that I must follow it, then why can't they write it so we can read it!?"

It does get easier, although requirements for CPOE are being phased in over the next few years and by five years all medication orders will have to be entered electronically which will either make things easier or more of a pain, I guess we'll see.

Quote from InfinisynthThey just went over this in school. They told us that if we are unsure about what is written (aka just lazy scribbles) then we should call the doctor and confirm the order. I don't know if this will apply in the real world but it's what we were taught.

At the hospital I used to work at, all doctor's orders were entered electronically and printed out -- thank goodness! So I never had the problem of deciphering chicken scratch. Did occasionally have to call for clarification of ambiguous wording. As someone else said, never second guess -- if you're not sure, call for clarification!

Quote from myty23I know this is silly, but it is something that really gets under my skin. Every time I'm looking through a chart and looking at dr's orders/progress notes, it seriously looks like a 2 year old just scribbled on some paper....and I'm supposed to know how to read this!?!? I mean, it's kind of important that I read the dr's order right? Is there a trick to it? Does anybody else have the same problem as I do? I'm graduating in May and I'm scared that I'll never be able to read their chicken scratch!

It really shouldn't be tolerated. Com'on..your smart enough to go to med school. Write orders that are legible. Nurses don't have time to play Sherlock Holmes! And..WHO"S gonna get in trouble if a mistake was made?..yup... It is just disrespectful. Not everyone has been there 20 yrs to know your every slant!