It’s 2:30 in the morning. You saw a patient at evening sick call for a cough and fever, and you have reassessed him twice since then. His respiratory rate is a little faster than it was earlier, and his oxygen saturation is a few points lower. He tells you he feels about the same. Nothing is dramatically abnormal, and nothing…
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When I review a medical record, I rarely look at a single note by itself. I read the record from beginning to end, and over time the individual entries begin to tell a story. Sometimes the story is reassuring. Sometimes it shows something that no one recognized while it was happening. Consider a patient who submits a sick call request…
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Seizure disorders are common in correctional healthcare, and many nurses become comfortable caring for patients who have a history of seizures. One of the first lessons I learned, however, is that the seizure itself is often only part of the assessment. When a seizure is reported, it is natural to focus on the event. How long did it last? What…
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