Cause of Death: Sloppy Handwriting

[JohnRich 4]

News:

Cause of Death: Sloppy Handwriting

"Doctors' sloppy handwriting kills more than 7,000 people annually. It's a shocking statistic, and, according to a report from the Institute of Medicine, preventable medication mistakes also injure more than 1.5 million annually. Many such errors result from unclear abbreviations and dosage indications and illegible writing on some of the 3.2 billion prescriptions written in the U.S. every year"...

Full story: Time Magazine

[shropshire 0]

scary.... and that's just the stats for one country... The handwriting of our doctors also leaves much to be desired too!!

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[downwardspiral 0]

Its kind of strange in this day and age that doctors are still handwriting prescriptions.... donchathink?

www.FourWheelerHB.com

[champu 1]

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Doctors' sloppy handwriting kills more than 7,000 people annually.

I guess it's a good thing I'm not a doctor. Convieniently, my sister has very good handwriting, and she's also the one with the scrip pad.

On a side note...

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... preventable ... mistakes ...

I love this term for just how meaningless it is.

[lawrocket 3]

It's amazing how EASY it is to get things messed up.

Let's say a doctor writes a prescription for an oral dose of a certain medication every other day.

oral dose is abbreviated "o.d."
every other day is abbreviated "q.o.d."

The problem is, "OD" means "Right eye" and "qid" means "four times daily" which could result in the administration of oral medication into the right eye four times per day.

Or, let's say a doctor wants to push 4 units. He abbreviates, "4U" which is misread a "40" - a HUGE problem.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[rehmwa 2]

and, don't even get me started on the whole "analgesic" misinterpretation.......

let's just say they are normally taken orally.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Zenister 0]

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It's amazing how EASY it is to get things messed up.

there is a VERY simple solution..

DO NOT abbreviate on important instructions. Train/Force Doctors to WRITE OUT the instructions. I mean come on someones life IS AT STAKE...

oh wait.. that might take an extra 2 min of time and makes to much sense...

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[lawrocket 3]

The medical abbreviation dictionary I used to have (I lost it in my relocation) was called, "Medical Abbreviations: 15,000 Conveniences at the Expense of Communications and Safety."

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[headoverheels 334]

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Its kind of strange in this day and age that doctors are still handwriting prescriptions.... donchathink?

Mine sends them by e-mail, which is also
how he sends test results, etc. to me.

[SkyDekker 1,465]

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Medical Abbreviations: 15,000 Conveniences at the Expense of Communications and Safety."

Now, THAT is a great title!!

[JohnnyD 0]

When should we expect the "War on Illegible Handwriting"?

[jenfly00 0]

Quote

It's amazing how EASY it is to get things messed up.

Let's say a doctor writes a prescription for an oral dose of a certain medication every other day.

oral dose is abbreviated "o.d."
every other day is abbreviated "q.o.d."

The problem is, "OD" means "Right eye" and "qid" means "four times daily" which could result in the administration of oral medication into the right eye four times per day.

Or, let's say a doctor wants to push 4 units. He abbreviates, "4U" which is misread a "40" - a HUGE problem.

For several years now, Joint Commission standards have not allowed any of the abbreviations you mention.

Oral dose is PO, not OD.

-----------------------
"O brave new world that has such people in it".

[Zenister 0]

why allow abbreviations at all? how much time is REALLY saved? at what risk? well the risk is stated in the original post...

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[Nightingale 0]

This is why you should always ask your doctor what he/she is prescribing, and make sure that's what the pharmacy gives you.

My doctor's office has solved the problem nicely. The doctor types the prescription into the computer where it is then emailed to the pharmacy next door (or anywhere).

[willard 0]

Several years ago my dad had his gall bladder removed. He had to meet with the anesthesiologist (sp) before hand. Good thing he did since the doctors writing was so poor everyone but my dad and the doc thought it was a hernia operation.

[kbordson 8]

ya know....

I can understand frustration wtih this... 7k deaths is quite disgusting, but not ALL doctors have poor handwriting, and many have converted over to computer and printed scripts.

It's just kinda annoying to read the common assumptions and misconceptions (and incorrect info) that we are so used to hearing. There are many "outlawed" abbreviations - for which the poor pharmacist would call the doc responsible for writing "u" instead of "units" or problems with using the decimal point or not (ie "2.0 mg"- not correct. vs. "2 mg" - correct) to confirm the prescription.

Are there still some errors - yes. Is something being done about it? Yes.

[Andy9o8 3]

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Are there still some errors - yes. Is something being done about it? Yes.

And in the meantime, should we sue the buzzards? YES!!

[wildcard451 0]

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ya know....

I can understand frustration wtih this... 7k deaths is quite disgusting, but not ALL doctors have poor handwriting, and many have converted over to computer and printed scripts.

It's just kinda annoying to read the common assumptions and misconceptions (and incorrect info) that we are so used to hearing. There are many "outlawed" abbreviations - for which the poor pharmacist would call the doc responsible for writing "u" instead of "units" or problems with using the decimal point or not (ie "2.0 mg"- not correct. vs. "2 mg" - correct) to confirm the prescription.

Are there still some errors - yes. Is something being done about it? Yes.

yup. Do I hate having to write everything out? You betcha. Do I hate getting that damn fax back and paged from the nurses at 3am to fix my order? You betcha.

Would I hate to have something like that affect one of my patients adversely? You betcha.

When I know I have a touchy order or something that can be mis-interprted, I make sure that I write more legibly than normal and a little bigger. I've always had shitty writing, it's something that I can't help, but unfortunately where I work I have to enter orders by hand. So for now I live with it.

[Zenister 0]

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I've always had shitty writing, it's something that I can't help

ludicrous.. better handwriting simply requires PRACTICE... hell you can get the same training materials used for children at most grocery stores..

not that i can say much... i have to FORCE my self to slow down to Print in a manner than is readable to anyone who hasnt known me forever...

my cursive is (used to be, i'm out of practice) beautiful... not bragging per se, i used to write a lot of my term papers in a coffee shop and had more than one waitress stop and make a comment about it...

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[kbordson 8]

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I've always had shitty writing, it's something that I can't help

ludicrous.. better handwriting simply requires PRACTICE... hell you can get the same training materials used for children at most grocery stores..

Actually for some people, it is more than just a practice issue. Practice might make it better... but it still might not ever be the beautiful calligraphy that is wished for. Luckily, I have rather nice penmenship... but some do honestly have to work hard for it. Not just a matter of getting the lined paper and writing "a a a a .... b b b b ... " Which is why some places have gone to computerized or preprinted scripts.

(now.. for some it might just be lazy and lack of consideration... but hopefullly not the most common reason)

[Zenister 0]

practice will make *anyone's handwriting LEGIBLE...continual practice might not make it 'beautiful' with all its subjective connotations. But writing (or drawing for that matter) is simply a physical skill.. *anyone with 'average dexterity' can have perfectly legible handwriting IF they dedicate themselves to practice.

the problem is that some (i'd argue MOST now, keyboards definitely contribute to the lack of currency in my handwriting) are to lazy to take the time to practice enough and claim "oh my handwriting is just poor." of course it is... you simply didnt practice enough...

seriously.. no one without a physical limitation has any excuse for poor handwriting other than failure to practice..

what is the quote from a sig here? "argue for your limitations and they surely become your own". Short of actual physical limitations there is no reason why ANYONE cannot learn any Physical Skill to a 'proficient level' with enough training and practice.

it is simply not a priority in the modern world.

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[kallend 2,182]

Lets's not confuse beautiful with legible. My ex wife had beautiful handwriting but it was very hard to read. My handwriting is untidy and ugly, but no-one has ever complained that they can't read it.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[vortexring 0]

I'm in a similiar situation - so I generally handwrite in block capitals (with my crayon's). Years ago it caused a Graphologist some problems - especially when I refused to write in lower case.

Essentially, doctors do take the utter piss with their unreadable scribbles and should be placed (temporarily) back into primary schools to relearn the basics.

'for it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "chuck 'im out, the brute!" But it's "saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot.'

[ladydyver 0]

Quote

Quote

It's amazing how EASY it is to get things messed up.

Let's say a doctor writes a prescription for an oral dose of a certain medication every other day.

oral dose is abbreviated "o.d."
every other day is abbreviated "q.o.d."

The problem is, "OD" means "Right eye" and "qid" means "four times daily" which could result in the administration of oral medication into the right eye four times per day.

Or, let's say a doctor wants to push 4 units. He abbreviates, "4U" which is misread a "40" - a HUGE problem.

For several years now, Joint Commission standards have not allowed any of the abbreviations you mention.

Oral dose is PO, not OD.

As of last June, rx have to be written out - no cursive writing or abbreviations are allowed. As an RN who works in the ER, you see rx all of the time. If I can't read it...the doc has to rewrite it. Pharmacists have gotten alot better about calling if there are any questions regarding rx as well.

DPH # 2
"I am not sure what you are suppose to do with that, but I don't think it is suppose to flop around like that." ~Skootz~
I have a strong regard for the rules.......doc!

[wildcard451 0]

Quote

Quote

Quote

It's amazing how EASY it is to get things messed up.

Let's say a doctor writes a prescription for an oral dose of a certain medication every other day.

oral dose is abbreviated "o.d."
every other day is abbreviated "q.o.d."

The problem is, "OD" means "Right eye" and "qid" means "four times daily" which could result in the administration of oral medication into the right eye four times per day.

Or, let's say a doctor wants to push 4 units. He abbreviates, "4U" which is misread a "40" - a HUGE problem.

For several years now, Joint Commission standards have not allowed any of the abbreviations you mention.

Oral dose is PO, not OD.

As of last June, rx have to be written out - no cursive writing or abbreviations are allowed. As an RN who works in the ER, you see rx all of the time. If I can't read it...the doc has to rewrite it. Pharmacists have gotten alot better about calling if there are any questions regarding rx as well.

Yup. if they can't read it, or question it, the nursing station gets a fax back and we get a page to clarify it.

As far as retraining my handwriting? Like I have the fucking time for that. If it is something important I slow down for it. Actually, I do make a general attempt to write more legibly after going back to medical records one night just after starting as a resident, and trying to dictate a d/c summary, and couldn't read my own fucking note.

I pondered on how that would look in a court of law one day, and have since taken more care with with my handwriting and the language that I write in my notes.

We all learn as we go.