Saturday 20 September 2008

Documentation

If I had to pick one word that embodies my job and in essence, the hospital itself, I would pick the word documentation.

I thought about this at work today. Everything that we do is signed and cosigned. Every movement that patient makes is charted...the bowel movements are categorized and explained, the urine measured carefully and often sent to the lab for cultures. Basically any significant movements or occurrences among the patients is documented in one way or another.

I document what they eat, what room and bed they're in, the time they admitted and the time they are discharged. When they leave the ward for a few minutes, it's recorded. Almost everything we do seems to be for posterity sake.

In many ways it does become tiring and boring. Recording the similar information day after day is tiresome.

But, it's like life. Everyday we repeat tasks and actions. The repetition is almost part of who we are.

Not sure, where I was going with this. I felt in a contemplative mood until I actually started writing. It's as though I can no longer freely describe thoughts and ideas without fear of being judged or condemned.

That is all, I suppose.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Interesting to know.