dysgraphics, dyslexics and injured hands.. can I reduce writing on wards?

[tivski]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi

Im a second year with chronic orthopedic problems in my dominant hands and wrist. I'm probably not going to be able to write with it full time by the end of the year and it wont get better so there's no point in taking time off. When Im a big grown up doctor I'll be fine with Dragon Naturally Speaking, but the wards are a different story

Has any one found a way to reduce or minimize handwriting with typing while on the wards? Tablets? small typing machines?

Does anyone know of docs who have hand/handwriting problems who are willing to share their wisdom?

thanks👍

 

[njbmd]

You likely need to speak with the clerkship coordinator/dean in terms of accommodations that can be made for you at the particular hospitals that you would rotate through. You can't bring devices/forms that have not been approved by the hospitals since your writing has to become part of the patient's medical records. This would be a good time to speak with your administration so that your accommodations are in place before you need them.

 

[skijumpbump]

Have you considered learning to write with your left hand (assuming you are a righty)? If the problem is only in your dominant hand then learning to use your other hand to write should be a quick fix. A friend of mine broke his wrist and learned to write lefty, so it can be done with practice.

 

[themudphud]

Ouch--that sucks. Learning to write with your non-dominant hand is a good idea. You may also want to buy one of those USB keys, hang it around your neck and use it to save any notes you write on computers on the wards (I'm assuming there are computers with a text editor on the wards at your school).

 

[Tiger26]

Hi

Im a second year with chronic orthopedic problems in my dominant hands and wrist. I'm probably not going to be able to write with it full time by the end of the year and it wont get better so there's no point in taking time off. When Im a big grown up doctor I'll be fine with Dragon Naturally Speaking, but the wards are a different story

Has any one found a way to reduce or minimize handwriting with typing while on the wards? Tablets? small typing machines?

Does anyone know of docs who have hand/handwriting problems who are willing to share their wisdom?

thanks👍

So if you can't write, then will you be able to suture or do other procedures either?

 

[masterofmonkeys]

I have a massively messed up dominant hand (neuralgic amyotrophy) and spine. The people I talked to were rather unsympathetic for the most part (but there were exceptions). Part of it, I think, is that I really don't look the part, being an avid weightlifter (which is the only reason I maintain the high degree of functionality I have). But your experience might be different.

I still ended up standing long hours in surgery and going home in agony from multilevel radiculopathy. And my hand would cramp so hard from writing notes I'd hardly be able to use it the rest of the day. I managed, but it wasn't fun.

there are things you can do to make it easier on yourself re: writing. You can pre-write your notes to a degree. Put the outline in, the meds, etc, the night before. One of our hospitals uses hand-written notes, but on some rotations I was able to make my own template and copy it for use. Use templates on CPRS. Things like that.

Hopefully your school and the clerkship directors you talk to will be more accommodating than they were for me.