How important are nursing records?

  • Nelouise Geyer Public Services International
Keywords: nursing records

Abstract

Nursing records remain one of the most important communication tools for the multi-professional healthcare team. These records must provide an accurate and comprehensive report of the care planned and decisions made, as well as the treatment and care delivered to the patient. When considering the statistics reported by the SA Nursing Council (SANC), the prevalence of poor nursing care reported is notable, with 410 cases of a total of 899 professional conduct cases involving poor nursing care being reported. This represents 46% of the cases.1 Total patient care constitutes both the hands-on physical care provided, as well as the recording thereof, followed by monitoring of the response and condition of the patient. Poor recordkeeping plays a role in all of these cases. Let’s consider one of them.

Author Biography

Nelouise Geyer, Public Services International
HIV & AIDS Coordinator, Southern Africa Public Services International
Section
Legal and Ethical Column