Warning, I Write Down Orders Verbatim

The doctor had discontinued only one type of the patient's feeding solution. We were reasonably sure that he meant to discontinue the other type of feeding solution too. But, since he didn't say so, the nurse had to call him to clarify the order.

He was reached by phone and his reply to her question was, "Oh, for Christ's sakes" and then he hung up. The nurse interpreted that to mean yes, the solution should be discontinued, and wrote the order accordingly.

Had he done that to me, I would have written the telephone order (T.O.) as follows:

9/3/05 1900 "Oh, for Christ's sakes." T.O. Dr. Hole, A. /Melissa RN