What is the correct action when correcting a nursing note error?

What is the correct action when correcting a nursing note error?

• A. Erasure of the error is allowed if both agree
• B. One nurse should draw a line and write "error"
• C. Errors can be corrected by anyone in the same shift
• D. Only the nurse who made the error should correct it

Answer: (B)

The appropriate action when correcting a nursing note error involves drawing a line through the error and writing "error" next to it. This method maintains the integrity of the medical record by clearly indicating that a mistake was made, while still allowing the original entry to remain visible for accountability and transparency. This practice is crucial because it ensures that anyone reviewing the patient's records can see what was originally documented and understand that a correction was made. This method protects the accuracy of the patient's medical records and supports continuity of care, as future healthcare providers can refer to the original note and the correction without any ambiguity. In contrast, simply erasing the error is not acceptable as it obscures the original information and could lead to confusion or misinterpretation later. Allowing errors to be corrected by anyone or requiring that only the nurse who made the error correct it can potentially compromise the reliability of the documentation, as it may lead to unauthorized modifications or failures to correctly record subsequent actions.

The appropriate action when correcting a nursing note error involves drawing a line through the error and writing "error" next to it. This method maintains the integrity of the medical record by clearly indicating that a mistake was made, while still allowing the original entry to remain visible for accountability and transparency.

This practice is crucial because it ensures that anyone reviewing the patient's records can see what was originally documented and understand that a correction was made. This method protects the accuracy of the patient's medical records and supports continuity of care, as future healthcare providers can refer to the original note and the correction without any ambiguity.

In contrast, simply erasing the error is not acceptable as it obscures the original information and could lead to confusion or misinterpretation later. Allowing errors to be corrected by anyone or requiring that only the nurse who made the error correct it can potentially compromise the reliability of the documentation, as it may lead to unauthorized modifications or failures to correctly record subsequent actions.