Question

An agency nurse is documenting in the computerized system. She’s going to lunch and reports to the covering nurse that her assessments are in the system in case a provider calls about her patient. A provider calls and asks the covering nurse how his patient is doing and how the abdominal incision looks today. The nurse pulls up the assessment and is unable to read what the nurse has documented. There are many abbreviations the nurse does not recognize. What should the nurse do?

Answer 1

Some of the simple things which the covering nurse can do to answer the provider's call are

• Make direct inspection on the patient by observing the surgical site incision and answering the physician.
• The general appearance of the patient can be assessed and informed.
• In case if the covering nurse is unable to answer and understands that an error can occur ,it is better to inform the provider with humbleness and professionalism that she will inform the concerned nurse to make a call to you to update about patient status.