legibility

[Pebbles]

I have a request for all of you currently and eventually in medical school and beyond. I myself work as a nurse and am pursuing med school. My request is not to be critical by no means. On behalf of the nursing staff everywhere, would it be too much ask to write more legible. Please, just make a little mental note and try to keep it in mind during your busy schedule. You don't realize how much legible orders are a blessing when you are running around because bob is coding and jane is comatose etc. So please, just a mental note. Extremely appreciated

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Test Boy]

Ok, I will try harder.

 

[OMD 2]

You know...I truly try to write legibly. Hell, I have printed, for legibilities sake, so long...I don't even think I canwrite in cursive any longer. Problem is, my penmanship still sucks!!

Any credit for effort?

How 'bout I promise to try to not bitch, piss & moan when nurses call for order clarifications?

------------------
Old Man Dave
KCOM, Class of 2003

 

[Jim Henderson]

All my life my teachers would always call my mommy and daddy in for parent teacher conferences and tell them that my handwriting indicated I was either learning disabled or I was going to be a physician. (I think you have to be a little learning disabled to become a physician ;-> ) So both are probably true!!!!

Secret, get one of those big fat pens. I use the Sanford PhD pens and the Pilot Dr. Grip pens. My friends say I use them to make up for something I lack.... ;-> But I think it improves the chicken scratch a little. My handwriting is ugly, but nurses say they can read it.

The worst are the old fart docs... God only knows what the heck their notes say. I'm not sure if it is a medical-legal thing or what???

Anyway, I've rambled to long on this aafjd akjfoe kajfl 2 clarifow qidodor prn...???

------------------
Jim Henderson, MD of MedicalStudent.net
http://www.medicalstudent.net

 

[turtleboard]

I don't know if there's any truth in this rumor, but I heard that doctors intentionaly write in as unclear a manner to avoid having their charts used in malpractice suits.

In any event, I used to have really good handwriting, but it started sucking since med school started... I don't make a conscious effort to write poorly, but I think a lot of it has to do with the nature of med school. There's a ton of information, and you have to write like a madman during lecture jsut to get a few subtle points down.

As a result I'm the only person who can read my notes.

Tim of New York City.

 

[OldManDave]

Jim,

I don't know whether or not the 'fat pen' thing has helped my handwriting in legibility. However, I learned about 3 years ago that if I splurged a bit and bought good quality, thick-bodied, brass-bodied pens I rarely got writer's cramp anymore. I'm not saying go out and buy a Mont Blanc or Pelican...but Staples and Office Max carry a line of 'Lodis', and a couple of other brands, that are brass barrelled with epoxy/enamel body and take take Cross or Waterman cartridges for about $20~30 each. Believe me, they are worth every penny!! Those inexpensive plastic lightweight pens, especially the skinny ones, leave my hands and wrists aching. Give one a try!

------------------
'Old Man Dave'
KCOM, Class of '03

 

[RDO]

First of all, OMD, let me jump on the bandwagon and wish you good health and a speedy recovery.

Secondly, how can a $20-$30 cartridge be worth every penny. Those must be hellish hand cramps!

-RDO

 

[OldManDave]

Whoops, let me clarify that...the ENTIRE pen costs $20~30 and ACCEPTS high-quality cartridges like Cross and Waterman. I am a FT student and can not afford a $20~30 cartridge.

Where I discovered a lot of this was my wife was wanting to buy me a Mont Blanc or Waterman for gift. I compared them side-by-side to a couple of these off-brand pens I mentioned above and could discern ZERO difference. So, compare a $30 Lodis to a $200 Mont Blanc...that difference will buy a heck of lot of replacement cartridges!!

Plus, I was having a lot of trouble with writing cramps/fatigue--large hands and I grasp a pen like an instrument of war--Now, with good pens, I no longer have that trouble. It really makes a difference, silly as it may seem!

------------------
'Old Man Dave'
KCOM, Class of '03

 

[Pebbles]

Your effort is very much appreciated. Thanks