Questions for the ER scribes out there. What is your experience as a scribe? Do the doctors talk really fast? What company contracted you to work for them? Is there any downtime to actually get caught up with writing up the medical reports? If you are a veteran scribe, do you have any tips for newbie scribes?
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how is it not as intense? did they tell you that or did you google it?
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Hey,
Doctors do talk fast, and you will need decent typing skills. It's not all that terrible once you get the hang of it. Yes, there's always downtime to get back on track (but this part does depend on the hospital, as some are busier than others).
Tips: Most docs are open to taking a lot of questions. Definitely ask a lot (though, don't be pushy/pressing of course). Also, treat this job much like a learning experience, not just something to list of a med school app. There's a ton you will learn by being a scribe.
Doctors do talk fast, and you will need decent typing skills. It's not all that terrible once you get the hang of it. Yes, there's always downtime to get back on track (but this part does depend on the hospital, as some are busier than others).
Tips: Most docs are open to taking a lot of questions. Definitely ask a lot (though, don't be pushy/pressing of course). Also, treat this job much like a learning experience, not just something to list of a med school app. There's a ton you will learn by being a scribe.
too bad my program forces us to handwrite our notes (CoWs don't work, and there are no tablets) and then we have to input our notes (read: clicking and clicking and if it is not there then we free write it) into a rather convoluted system that automatically formats the HPI/PMSFx/PE/MDM. 🙁
Do the doctors only use convoluted medical terms or do they use laymens terms? or both?
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What do you mean by "convoluted medical terms"? You'll need to know basic med terminology; my job required me to go through 100 hrs of training, including classroom and on-the-job training, before I started going solo as a scribe. That training included learning and taking quizzes for medical terminology and abbreviations, differential diagnoses, and physical exam findings.
Many of the docs do talk fast, especially when they're telling you orders to input, but you also get faster as a scribe over time. For the system we use (EPIC), I free-write the HPI and ROS/PEx is clicking buttons + free-type comments. We also have "dot phrases," which are custom preset phrases we can insert into the chart. There is downtime, especially when you move from trauma/medical side to fast-track, but that's depend on patient volume and the doc you're working with.
By convoluted I am asking if it is difficult to follow or understand the doctor and/or they use terminology that is way beyond the scope of your "scribe training."
If they do talk fast, would it be decorous to ask them to slow down or would that be insulting in front of the patient? I know this is a job that requires listening skills and great note taking skills but there is always a limit since handwriting is obviously slower than dictation.
I am so mad right now. I am doing some simulation training via audio files and I could type out everything (almost verbatim from both the doctor and patient) but when I attempt to handwrite the same thing I get illegible garbage that is useless in writing up a medical report (missing important details or writing the wrong information).
No wonder this job has a high turnover rate lol but I suppose you people are right. It gets better with practice and I just have to adjust to my situation.
No wonder this job has a high turnover rate lol but I suppose you people are right. It gets better with practice and I just have to adjust to my situation.
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The free clinic is a small clinic and isn't as hectic or busy as an ER (patients aren't flowing too fast and they physicians don't have too big of a workload). They didn't tell me that and I didn't google it. It's just something that I assume and it's probably an accurate assumption.
And since my scribing position is volunteer work, I don't have to go through the vigorous training normal scribes have to go through. Though, we are expected to be familiar with abbreviations for a bunch of stuff like medical symptoms and the different diseases. I get to use my own laptop and type notes so that's easier as well.
Some doctors talk very quickly, some more moderate, none slow. Experience is generally very good and the only times its slightly less is when you have a not-so-great doctor. Speaking in generalities, I'm aware. PhysAssist is the company who employs me, and yes you will have downtime (like when walking through halls/bringing your work to the bathroom). Kidding - some days are better than others when trying to get caught up... it really depends on how busy it is. Tips: pay special attention to specific wants/preferences of individual doctors.
PM me for more info. if you'd like.
Yes doctors talk quickly. They talk quickly and walk quickly (speaking of which I've never seen a doctor walk slowly... ever).
Improve your proficiency at writing halves and quarters of words and remembering what it was that you wrote. Personal shorthand/mnemonics are good too. There's pretty common/universal medical shorthand that I think you could find online.
I've been doing this for like 5 years now, all in all, but I'll admit that if a random-arse word like pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis gets thrown at me full throttle in a sentence, it'll probably stop me up a little as i'm writing.
...And pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is pretty commonplace. To save time, for instance, I'll usually just write PNUMSV as I'm scribbling.
Improve your proficiency at writing halves and quarters of words and remembering what it was that you wrote. Personal shorthand/mnemonics are good too. There's pretty common/universal medical shorthand that I think you could find online.
I've been doing this for like 5 years now, all in all, but I'll admit that if a random-arse word like pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis gets thrown at me full throttle in a sentence, it'll probably stop me up a little as i'm writing.
...And pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is pretty commonplace. To save time, for instance, I'll usually just write PNUMSV as I'm scribbling.
Usually hospitals hire contractors who in turn provide the training and scheduling. But some have their own in-house scribe training program. Just call your local hospitals and ask if they have a "scribing program available for undergraduates."
yea thanks! i might just do that. I have to work on my handwritten notetaking skills.
How fast do you usually complete a typical HPI/PMFSH/ROS/PE?
Two minutes.
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My experience has been that you will learn a lot and see a lot. Each Dr. is different and but most of the ones I work with are pretty down to earth. All of them expect different things from you so get to know what they want on their charts and what they don't want. The hardest part of the job is if you have no experience in healthcare you will be forced to learn a wealth of diseases, differential diagnosis, and most importanly you will learn to take an accurate history. You will learn to anticipate what orders your Dr. will order for a pt based on chief complaints and symptoms, you learn to read lab results and their meanings. Some of the Dr. I work with do work and speak fast but try hard to keep up. After a couple months you will get used to it.
I was contacted by Scribe America and my experience so far has been really cool. I really love the flexibility of the schedule and I enjoy being in the ER. Any advice I may have is to brush on medical terminology especially if you have no experience like I did. You need to know the basic and most common past medical history problems (HTN=hypertension, MI=myocardial infarction, ...) and if a Dr. ask you to put something on the chart and you are unsure of how to spell it, don't ask, go to google. Google has everything. Most of them are willing to teach you and I think it is the perfect job for pre medical students. I hope I answered all of your questions.🙂
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The scribe job doesn't have a high turn over rate because of its difficulty. The turnover rate is because most scribes are pre-medical students that work as a scribe for a few years before moving onto professional school. I am a chief scribe at my site, and I have been a scribe for the past year. The audio tapes, while good practice, do not really capture the essence of what the job entails. Every doctor is different - some talk slow, some extremely fast, some have great bedside manner, others are lacking.
Being a scribe is great experience. It has allowed me to see what medicine is really like, as we sit with the doctors and talk with them often. Like anything in life - study hard, train, do your best. Most of the learning will occur when you actually start the job. If you have any more questions feel free to message me.
Being a scribe is great experience. It has allowed me to see what medicine is really like, as we sit with the doctors and talk with them often. Like anything in life - study hard, train, do your best. Most of the learning will occur when you actually start the job. If you have any more questions feel free to message me.
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Wow, that stinks. You had to handwrite the chart? I work for PhysAssist, and we're contracted to work at different hospitals in the region. I go to 2 main hospitals and 2 outlying hospitals, and at each hospital, every scribe gets a laptop to use during their shift. I would never be able to finish charts as fast as I do if I was handwriting things though.
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Two minutes is a little ridiculous unless you are using a macro for the PE, there are no unique findings and the pt keeps it short and sweet (rarely happens). Even then, anything under 5 minutes for a basic acuity pt to finish the HPI, ROS and PE will be plenty fast. The doctors are pretty understanding and you are helping them a lot. If you fall behind a little its not a big deal just have your notepad open on the computer. Writing by hand is ungodly slow and I feel awful for you if thats the way your gonna have to do things. Learn the acronyms and your life will get easier (like BIBA, c/o, sx, pt and my favorite for saving time NVD). Oh and make sure you get close to the pt when the doctor is doing the interview, an ER is noisy and a lot of patients don't talk very loud.
Mine are two minutes handwritten.
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Mine are plenty fast and I normally finish them in a couple minutes after I leave the room.
The doctors normally compliment me on my speed, as well. Two minutes total seems hilarious xD
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