Health visitor who falsely claimed she had carried out patients' reviews

Regular auditing and evaluation of nursing services helps to not only monitor quality, but also review the performance of nurses. It was during such a procedure that Ann's patient caseload was scrutinized and questions were asked about the care she gave to patients.

Documentation in nursing practice

Accurate documentation is essential to maintain continuity and inform health professionals of ongoing care and treatment. It also provides legal evidence. This article highlights the advantages of accurate record keeping and the barriers to effective documentation in the community setting.

Exploring the principles of good record keeping in nursing

Record keeping is an integral part of patient care. This article considers the basic principles which should be followed in the light of guidance from the Department of Health, Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts. Apart from the Mental Health Act 1983 and abortion regulations there are few statutory provisions covering record keeping, but the courts would apply the Bolam Test of the reasonable standard of care to documentation.

General nurse who gave inaccurate information in healthcare records

Freda House is a special unit which cares for frail elderly blind people. There are various houses which make up the unit and one of these serves as a nursing facility of 24 beds. People are admitted to the nursing house only when they are in a very vulnerable situation and require intensive nursing care.

Putting the record straight: the importance of documentation

A nurse from Coventry was recently removed from the national register after failing to keep accurate records for patients in her care. She was found guilty of seven charges of misconduct. The committee heard that she failed to ensure care plans were prepared for several patients covering issues such as diabetes, pain management and dietary needs. On one occasion, she failed to notify staff of a patient's increased risk of haemorrhage following a drug error. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) found the nurse had systematically neglected a basic and crucial duty to keep proper records for the management of patient care.

Maintain privacy with electronic charting

Learn the principle elements that must be addressed in electronic documentation.