Can't read doctors' handwritings!

[Knicks]

Trying to read and comprehend their progress notes is almost literally impossible.

It's effing hieroglyphics!

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[marble30]

Had to go through a lot of medical records for my previous research project - anything legible is never written by a doctor.

 

[pkwraith]

Tell him to move into the 21st century. Who still writes out their progress notes?

 

[valkener]

Friend of mine works in a pharmacy - sometimes they have to send patients or prescriptions back because they can't decipher the horrible handreading.. pretty sad. Some doctors should just print out prescriptions plain and simple.

 

[Raryn]

So true. I'm happy most of the hospitals my schools sends us to are transitioning or have transitioned to EMR, because the ones left with written progress notes are just terrible.

Looking at the different specialties is interesting too... Surgeons have the worst handwriting (or at least the most illegible notes) by far.

 

[2012mdc]

So true. I'm happy most of the hospitals my schools sends us to are transitioning or have transitioned to EMR, because the ones left with written progress notes are just terrible.

Looking at the different specialties is interesting too... Surgeons have the worst handwriting (or at least the most illegible notes) by far.

In my experience ortho docs had the worst handwriting.

 

[Knicks]

It's ridiculous.

It's almost as if they consciously make an effort to write illegibly, as if to pretentiously "carry on the tradtion".

 

[D elegans]

Having worked in a pharmacy, I made a vow never to write that horribly.

Better start brushing up on my cursive (which is apparently no longer going to be taught in elementary school).

 

[pupster]

Having worked in a pharmacy, I made a vow never to write that horribly.

Better start brushing up on my cursive (which is apparently no longer going to be taught in elementary school).

 

[runningman33]

EMR solves all these problems

 

[tima]

Which one can't you read - doctor's chicken scratch or cursive?

 

[D elegans]

 

[D elegans]

Which one can't you read - doctor's chicken scratch or cursive?

I can't read doctor's chicken scratch. Most of them attempt to write in cursive.

I can read cursive (can't everyone at this level?), I just never write in it. It can save time writing if you do it well.

 

[FCMike11]

Just an RN pre med here, but made it a poijt once to poke at a surgeon that it seems he'd have to deliberately write like that for it to be that degree of illegible

His response " I can make it say anything i want to"
All i could do was laugh

 

[MRSAful Fate]

Reading horrbile doctor writing is definitely a skill which you can get better at. I worked as a monitor tech and there was an old nurse in our ICU who was the master of unreadable handwriting. I'd bring her orders that looked like the EEG tracing of a seizure patient and she'd figure it out.

 

[tima]

Just an RN pre med here, but made it a poijt once to poke at a surgeon that it seems he'd have to deliberately write like that for it to be that degree of illegible

His response " I can make it say anything i want to"
All i could do was laugh

 

[tima]

Reading cursive requires additional ATP, especially if it's sloppy.

I can't read doctor's chicken scratch. Most of them attempt to write in cursive.

I can read cursive (can't everyone at this level?), I just never write in it. It can save time writing if you do it well.

 

[HondoCrouch]

Once you become an attending and have to write the same meaningless crap over and over again 30-40 times a day, and sign endless forms, you will understand why most doctors handwriting is so bad...it becomes a painful, mindless exercise that makes you want to cut yourself.

 

[bigloley]

Starks! With the Dunk!

 

[scarshapedstar]

I shadow a semi-retired surgeon and an EM resident who volunteer on different days at the same clinic. I don't think they've ever met but each of them says the other's handwriting is unreadable.

Incidentally, they're both right.

 

[CaptainSSO]

I think it's a mix b/w what Hondo was referring to and, and wanting to "carry on the tradition," as someone else mentioned. My handwriting has gotten progressively worse over the years, but it's not illegible by any means.