Why might a healthcare provider choose narrative charting instead of using forms or checklists?

Question

a. Narrative charting tracks the client's changing health status as it occurs.
b. Free form documentation is inconsistent among healthcare providers.
c. Less charting time by healthcare provider is needed for narrative charting.
d. Less interdisciplinary discussion occurs with the narrative style of charting.

Answer 1

A
A narrative chart entry tells the story of the patient's experience as it occurs in a chronological format with the goal to track a client's changing medical and health status. It also documents progress toward goals for the client. Disadvantages to narrative charting include the following: inconsistency among healthcare providers and the manner in which they document using narrative charting; longer time spent in documenting client progress; and a decrease in interdisciplinary discussion of client progress owing to lengthy and redundant documentation by healthcare team members.