how to document a patient smelled in a medical report

by Lou Rosenbaum 9 min read

Do You Document When a Patient Smells Bad (or is …

30 hours ago  · "patient smells very strongly of cigarette smoke (sub - marijuana)" is very very common in my charts. "patient has inappropriate laughter and appears acutely under the influence of substances" - the contact high was overwhelming. "patient smells strongly of alcohol at 11 am. Patient denies drinking" is also a known thing. >> Go To The Portal


What should a doctor document in a medical report?

One thing that a doctor should have documented in the patient medical report is the medical diagnosis that he has found in the patient. Whatever disease that a patient has should be clearly stated in the medical report. The name of the disease should be clearly written and some explanations about the current condition of the patient.

What is a patient medical report?

A patient medical report is a comprehensive document that contains the medical history and the details of a patient when they are in the hospital. It can also be given as a person consults a doctor or a health care provider. It is a proof of the treatment that a patient gets and of the condition that the patient has.

Who has the access to the patient medical report?

The health care providers have the access to the patient medical report. They keep the medical report as a history of medical records. Also, patients’ access to the patient medical report is a must.

What information should be entered in the patient record?

Only clinically pertinent incident related information should be entered in the patient record. Put time and date on all entries in the medical record. Notes should be contemporaneous. Label added information as addendum and indicate when it was entered.

How do you tell a patient they smell?

Say something like, “I'd like to talk to you about something that's awkward, and I hope I don't offend you. But I want you to be aware that you have a noticeable odor.” Take note that these words don't place blame or shame on the patient by calling it a “problem” or describing it as an “offensive” or even “bad” odor.

How do you document medical notes?

The basics of clinical documentationDate, time and sign every entry. ... Write your name and role as a heading and the names and roles of all others present at the encounter.Make entries immediately or as soon as possible after care is given. ... Be legible. ... Be thorough, accurate, and objective.Maintain a professional tone.More items...•

What should you remember when you are documenting?

Medical Documenting: 5 Important Things to RememberWrite Clearly and Legibly. According to a report in Medscape, the modern health care system puts increasing demands on nurses' time. ... Handle Records with Care. ... Document All Your Actions. ... Record Only Objective Facts. ... Capture Orders Correctly.

What is the smell of a hospital?

Smells. Walking into a hospital, right away you notice a different smell profile. It's antiseptic, a little bitter, with undertones of the artificial fragrance contained in soaps and cleaners. On patient floors, the smells become more intense and diverse.

How do you write a medical history of a patient?

This article explains how.Step 1: Include the important details of your current problem. Timing - When did your problem start? ... Step 2: Share your past medical history. List all your past medical problems and surgeries. ... Step 3: Include your social history. ... Step 4: Write out your questions and expectations.

How do you write a patient medical report?

HOW TO WRITE A MEDICAL REPORTKnow that a common type of medical report is written using SOAP method. ... Assess the patient after observing her problems and symptoms. ... Write the Plan part of the Medical report. ... Note any problems when you write the medical report.More items...

What are the 3 rules of documentation?

Documentation should be:Immediate. Managers should take notes right after an incident occurs. ... Accurate and believable. When an outside observer (judge, jury or EEO investigator) is called to judge your side of the story, detailed observations add authenticity. ... Agreed upon.

What are the basic rules of documentation?

Be clear, legible, concise, contemporaneous, progressive and accurate. Include information about assessments, action taken, outcomes, reassessment processes (if necessary), risks, complications and changes.

What is the golden rule of chart documentation?

Remember the Golden Rule: If it isn't documented, then it wasn't performed. Reviewers do not know the services provided if there is no documentation. You are paid for what you document, not what you did.

How would you describe a hospital sound?

doors sliding open and shut, furnace, air exchanger, screams, cries moans, gasps, grunts/hisses of pain, people talking in low voices, intercom calling out codes/directions, squeaky wheelchairs, the clack of the keyboard, a low-volumed radio or TV, heavy…

What does the ICU smell like?

The stench of sweat, stool, and blood permeates the unit when nurses change patients' diapers, suck accumulating mucous out of patients' mouths, and clean up blood-stained sheets. And if you think it's bad for providers, imagine what patients experience. The ICU must feel like a kind of hell on earth.

What causes the smell in hospitals?

Every day, the first thing that I encounter when the hospital doors open is the omnipresent smell of antiseptic. To most people, this scent likely triggers involuntary memories of negative events -- the illness of a loved one, for example.

Who Writes the Patient Medical Report?

Health care providers do the patient medical report. The health care professionals make the documentation for a patient. It includes all the physic...

Who Can Have Access to a Patient Medical Report?

The health care providers have the access to the patient medical report. They keep the medical report as a history of medical records. Also, patien...

Is a Patient Medical Report a Legal Document?

If it is signed by a health care professional, then it is a legal document. It is permissible in any court of law. It is an evidence that the patie...

Why is it important to keep your medical records up to date?

Keep your records up-to-date in order to provide the best resource for patient care and evidence that appropriate and timely care was provided. Clinically pertinent information. The medical record is a primary mechanism for providing continuity and communication among all practitioners involved in a patient's care.

What should not be documented in Massachusetts?

What should not be documented. Derogatory or discriminatory remarks. In Massachusetts, patients have the right to access both office and institutional medical records and may be sensitive to notes they view as disrespectful or prejudicial. Include socio-economic information only if relevant to patient care.

What is current complete records?

Current, complete records which assist diagnosis and treatment, and which communicate pertinent information to other caregivers also provide excellent records for risk management purposes.

Can incomplete documentation impede patient care?

Missing, incomplete, or illegible documentation can seriously impede patient care and the defense of a malpractice claim, even when the care was appropriate. The following advice on documentation includes issues identified through analysis of malpractice claims. The most current information.

Can a patient's perceptions be inaccurately reported?

In addition, the patient's perceptions and recollections may be inaccurately reported. If, after complete information is considered, you do judge your patient's prior care to have been flawed, a factual summary of clinical events and honest answering of patient inquiries is advised.

Can you alter medical records?

Do not alter existing documentation or withhold elements of a medical record once a claim emerges. Periodically a physician defendant fails to heed this age-old advice. The plaintiff's attorney usually already has a copy of the records and the changes are immediately obvious.

Is incident report part of patient record?

Incident reports are not part of the patient record. Only clinically pertinent incident related information should be entered in the patient record. Put time and date on all entries in the medical record. Notes should be contemporaneous. Label added information as addendum and indicate when it was entered.

Subjective

The subjective section of your documentation should include how the patient is currently feeling and how they’ve been since the last review in their own words.

Objective

The objective section needs to include your objective observations, which are things you can measure, see, hear, feel or smell.

Assessment

The assessment section is where you document your thoughts on the salient issues and the diagnosis (or differential diagnosis), which will be based on the information collected in the previous two sections.

Plan

The final section is the plan, which is where you document how you are going to address or further investigate any issues raised during the review.

What is a Patient Medical Report?

A patient medical report is a comprehensive document that contains the medical history and the details of a patient when they are in the hospital. It can also be given as a person consults a doctor or a health care provider. It is a proof of the treatment that a patient gets and of the condition that the patient has.

What You Should Include in a Patient Medical Report

A patient medical report has some important elements that you should not forget. Include all these things and you can learn how to write a patient medical report.

Importance of a Patient Medical Report

The reason why a patient medical report is always given is because it is important. Here, you can know some of the importance of a patient medical report:

How to Write a Good Patient Medical Report

A doctor is a doctor. They are not writers. They can be caught in a difficulty on how to write a patient medical report. If this is the case, turn to this article and use these steps in making a patient medical report.

Who Writes the Patient Medical Report?

Health care providers do the patient medical report. The health care professionals make the documentation for a patient. It includes all the physicians, nurses, and doctors of medicine. It also includes the psychiatrists, pharmacists, midwives and other employees in the allied health.

Who Can Have Access to a Patient Medical Report?

The health care providers have the access to the patient medical report. They keep the medical report as a history of medical records. Also, patients’ access to the patient medical report is a must. It is their right to see their medical report. It is against the law not to show them their medical report.

Is a Patient Medical Report a Legal Document?

If it is signed by a health care professional, then it is a legal document. It is permissible in any court of law. It is an evidence that the patient is under your care. Thus, it can be used in court as an essential proof. So, keep a patient medical report because you may need it in the future.

How to avoid bias in a patient's statement?

To avoid bias when documenting a patient's statements, document the patient's exact words using quotation marks. Never use labels to describe a patient or a patient's behavior.

What is a good practice for documentation?

A good practice is to stay current with all policies that affect documentation of patient care to ensure that the documentation reflects the care provided. Document adverse events properly. Everyone's goal is to provide safe patient care without incident, but adverse events still occur.

What is the expert witness in a negligence lawsuit?

In a professional negligence lawsuit, the plaintiff is required to prove all four elements through an expert witness unless a written standard of care speaks for itself. Typically the expert is another nurse with a similar skill set or similar expertise in the standard of care as that of the defendant nurse.

What is a duty to the patient?

A duty to the patient existed. Duty is established when you accept care of a patient under your scope of practice, licensure, and employment. It requires you to provide the standard of care that a reasonably prudent nurse would provide for a similar patient in a similar circumstance.

Why should an EMR be adopted?

Adoption of an EMR should help eliminate gaps in the medical record because you're prompted to document what's considered standard for your facility. However, when the EMR isn't available (or in situations where an EMR hasn't been adopted), you'll have to revert to written documentation.

How did Mr. S die?

Mr. S died while a patient in the hospital. 1 His death was attributed to obstruction of his endotracheal (ET) tube by a mucous plug. Following his death, Mr. S's family brought a professional negligence action against the hospital and some of its nurses and respiratory therapists. The allegations against hospital nursing staff were failure to suction the ET tube and failure to communicate breathing difficulties to the patient's healthcare provider.

What to do if a patient refuses treatment?

You're always interfering with visitor time.". If the patient refuses prescribed treatment, document the refusal, including the patient's stated reason, if provided, and your actions, such as patient teaching and notifying the healthcare provider.

How often should you document vitals?

 Patients in acute care settings tend to be quite sick. If you are ordered to document vital signs every four hours, it’s important to take the vitals—and document the results—on time.

What is the purpose of documentation?

Remember, the purpose of documentation is to communicate with other members of the health care team. (If you are the only person who can read your handwriting, your documentation won’t communicate anything to anybody!)

What is an incident in a business?

An incident is an unexpected event that ofteninvolves an accident or an injury. The injured person may be an employee, a family member, a client or yourself.

Do Medicare clients need to bathe?

 Home health clients on Medicare must be homebound—and must need help with bathing— to receive the services of a home health aide. Your documentation should show that your client meets these requirements. However, if your client has already bathed when you arrive, document the reason and tell your supervisor right away.