Jump to content

ACR (comments) writing


MAGICFITZPATRICK

Recommended Posts

I'm still not confident in my comments section of my ACR writing.I was looking for some examples of generic Comment structures......or if anyone would like to tell me how they learned how to write the comments section.

Does any one know of an ACR writing link?My ACR's are 95% check boxes.I'm just trying to get a nice narrative down in my comments.This is how I would write a sample ACR(below).With each Patient I would change some of the info.I'm looking for a better skeleton structure.Give me all your tips and thought process on how you approach you comments section.

Example

60 y/o male found in hospital bed with rails up awaiting txp to xyz nursing home

Pt states no chief complaints Pt is stable at this time PE revels + ABC -SOB

- JVD +PEARL =L/S =B/L - ABD pain SND NTxQUADS + PMSx4 EXT

- BLEEDING - ECCHYMOSIS - EDEMA TXP pt in POC WOI to nursing home

Sorry I could now make the actual circles around the + and - for you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 22
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

When I was going thru Paramedic school I was assigned to MD's in the ED and learned my assessments, treatment and charting from them. We had a patient who crushed his thumb between the trailer hitch and the ball on his truck. I wrote this long speil on the chart describing in detail the above scenario. The Doc took one look at it, ripped it in half and said too wordy. He then grab a new chart and wrote the following...

Crush injury left thumb.

Charting is short and sweet, get to the basics and only the basics. On your example is it necessary in your system to mention the pt was in bed and the rails were up? Also do your charts have separate areas for such things as your PE, if so why repeat it? Also in your example you never stated why the patient was seen in the hospital and what the outcome was.

What you want to do is paint a short picture of who, how, what, & when. How would I write this up, like this.

() indicate where I would use shorthand.

C1 transfer St Bobs Ed to XYZ NH. 60 y/o M, S/P fall @ NH w/ C/C ® hip pain, (-) fx per ed. Pt A&OX3 in no acute distress, PE as noted above. V.S.

B.P. 140/65, HR 65, EKG SR (without) ectopy, RR 16 U/L, SaO2 99% on room air. Non emergent transport with incident.

VS signs can be placed in appropriate boxes if available also. This is just my example, your system may be different.

Peace,

Marty

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes this is what Im talking about...more pleas.

....yes I have to say how I found the Pt.They start us off in transport first.They want to see if you can handel (fragile eggs).I transport the oldest sickest people out of E Rs to either nursing homes or hospice care.They die very easily if not properly transported.

They want anal reporting on the comments part.They told me....if you didn't write it you didn't do it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All of my run reports have a standard to them. When I did transports, I had to use the charts from the hospitals to determine medical history and such. In doing so, I learned the physicians dictation format. It helps me remember what to document. On traumas, I add another line. But here is my generic format that I use. Keep in mind, I'm doing this as ALS, so you can delete or add whatever is pertinent to your job.

CC : CP

HPI (Stands for history of present illness): Arrived to find male pt sitting on sofa. Pt reports sudden onset of SSCP while at rest at approximately 1700 this date. Pt describes mid-sternal CP radiating to (L) arm. Pt rates pain 7/10. Pt is constant. Pt describes pain as 'an elephant sitting on my chest'. Neg aggravating or alleviating factors. Pt denies any previous episodes of CP. Neg SOB. Neg N/V. Neg dizziness. Neg lightheadedness. Neg syncope. Neg H/A. Neg blurred vision. Neg facial droop. Neg slurred speech. Neg arm drift. Neg recent fever or illness. Neg recent air travel.

PE: (Stands for physical exam)

LOC : CAO x 4.

Skin : N/W/Moderately diaphoretic.

HEENT : (Stands for head, eyes, ears, nose, throat) Pearl. (Includes pain/trauma if needed)

Neck : Neg JVD. Trachea midline. (Includes c/o pain, trauma, if needed)

Chest : Equal expansion. (Includes injuries if a trauma, or lack thereof.)

Lungs : CTA c/ adequate air exchange. SaO2 98% on room air.

Rhythm : NSR s/ ectopy. 12 lead shows definitive ST segment elevation in leads V1, V2, V3, and V4.

Abd : Soft ; non-tender.

Pelvis (I include for trauma only) : Intact. Neg crepitus.

Ext : Neg edema. Full equal pulses. Neg deficits.

Back : (For trauma or pain complaints) Neg deformity noted. Neg c/o pain.

Tx : O2 via nasal @ 6 lpm. 12 lead ECG. NTG 1/150 SL c/ slight relief of CP to 6/10. ASA 324 mg PO. IV NSS lock (L) ACF 18g. Labs drawn x 3. Blood sugar 112 mg/dL. NTG SL 1/150 SL c/ slight relief of CP to 5/10. NTG 1/150 SL c/ slight relief to 4/10. MSO4 4 mg IVP c/ decreased CP to 2/10. NTG Paste 1' transdermally to (L) anterior chest wall. MSO4 2 mg IVP c/ complete releif of CP. Transferred pt care to ED RN in bed 3.

Granted, this is probably more in depth than you need, but the standard is always the same for me. I have been in depositions several times, and the way I document usually precludes me from court. If you didn't write it, it didn't happen. Not to bore you but here is a perfect example why I document the way I do.

Dispatched for a fall. Little old lady tripped over one of those concrete car stopper things in a parking because she didn't see it. Unfortunately, she really did get hurt bad. Fractured her hip, ankle, wrist, and I think something else. In my report I wrote EXACTLY what she said. "I tripped over that parking bump thingy." Long story short, the major food chain store paid for ALL of her medical expenses. She then attempted to sue for millions because she said she tripped in a pothole. After reading my chart, without me going to court, they threw out her lawsuit. I think that food chain owes me a gift certificate, but hey.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Scatrat, your report format is very very similar to mine. I also agree that a set format that you use every single run from minor injuries to major injuries to codes is a very very good idea. If you are consistent in documenting you will become very proficient in it and it will likely keep you out of court.

There is a book out there called I believe the "Fourth Protocol" that tells how to write a legally defensible report. This book assumes that you already have a format of a report you use consistently, it goes further and it will have you examining how you write the report. Is it legally defensible in court??? Great book.

Oooops the books name is "The Missing Protocol" it also comes highly recommended by Kate Dernocour.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Scatrat, your report format is very very similar to mine. I also agree that a set format that you use every single run from minor injuries to major injuries to codes is a very very good idea. If you are consistent in documenting you will become very proficient in it and it will likely keep you out of court.

There is a book out there called I believe the "Fourth Protocol" that tells how to write a legally defensible report. This book assumes that you already have a format of a report you use consistently, it goes further and it will have you examining how you write the report. Is it legally defensible in court??? Great book.

Oooops the books name is "The Missing Protocol" it also comes highly recommended by Kate Dernocour.

Any idea where to find it? I mean other than Amazon? They don't always have those weird little medical books. I might be interested in reading it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

60 y/o male found in hospital bed with rails up awaiting txp to xyz nursing home

Pt states no chief complaints Pt is stable at this time PE revels + ABC -SOB

- JVD +PEARL =L/S =B/L - ABD pain SND NTxQUADS + PMSx4 EXT

- BLEEDING - ECCHYMOSIS - EDEMA TXP pt in POC WOI to nursing home

Sorry I could now make the actual circles around the + and - for you.

"Pt t/p from ABC Hospital ---> XYZ nh for rehab p tx of fx R hip c repair. T/p via stretcher s incidents or [change], care left c medical staff. "

Which is actually about twice as much as my company wants.

Emergency runs, they get something between what you wrote and what scratrat wrote.

NTG Paste 1'

Ummmm..... :P:lol::lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I have the same question, i'm never sure if my narratives are good enough! Heres an example of a narrative (i'm bls).

Upon arrrival, found pt sitting upright in chair in her home, a & o x4, pt states she had a mechanical fall due to dizziness and suffered an approx 1 in partial thickness lac on anterior right scalp. My partner flushed the wound with sterile saline and bandaged with gauze while I assessed vitals which were in normal limits and obtained SAMPLE. Pt ambulated approx 2 feet to gurney where we assisted in getting her seated and strapped on. Loaded pt into ambulance. En route, reassessed vitals once which were still normal and pt rested in POC with no interventions. Arrived at xyz hosp w/o incident.

Now, i dont list exact vitals because those are in my PCR anyways, as well as medical history, allergies etc.. Its gotten much better too, lol, i used to be horrible in the narratives, forgetting about things like interventions (if any, or noting none), and how pt got on gurney (alone or assisted) etc.

Caryn

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...