Is there a better term for a doctor's notebook?

Lee G.

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I'm writing a story set in a hospital (although the main characters aren't doctors, so it's not heavy on medical lingo). The doctor who does appear carries a notebook binder which I refer to a couple of times. It seems like there might be a more accurate term for the binder a doctor carries around to write notes in. Is anyone familiar with this?
 

waylander

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The medics I currently interact with (far too many of them!) in the UK write all their notes on desktops or iPads.
 

Lauram6123

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Doctors write notes in each patient’s chart (which may be in a binder.) In the hospitals I'm familiar with, the doctors don’t carry around binders. Med students will have pockets stuffed with little references and small notebooks, perhaps. Also, now most places have electronic charts.
 

Enlightened

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Doctors, in doctor offices (not hospitals), tend to use plain clipboards to fill out notes (usually add info to forms). These are made of wood, usually.

In hospitals, the clipboards are often made of metal. These are called "medical clipboards."
 

Lee G.

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Thank you for the quick replies. Because of your information, I can visualize the scene better.
 

neandermagnon

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The medics I currently interact with (far too many of them!) in the UK write all their notes on desktops or iPads.

That's what I was thinking. My GP types everything up on a computer. And at A&E they all have computers. They even do x-rays on computer. (My kids do a lot of sport and are accident prone* so I'm quite familiar with A&E and the x-ray department at the local hospital.)

*well, more learning the hard way when adults say "don't do xxx in case you fall" and they don't listen
 

MaeZe

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Yes clinics and hospitals are moving toward digital records, but if the story is set in an earlier time, even 5 years ago, you would still see a lot of paper paperwork.

Clipboards or no notes at all is typical for an MD making rounds. It wasn't uncommon not that long ago for the nurse to follow the doctor on those rounds and the doc would spout orders the nurse would then write down on the clipboard.

Or, I've also seen nurses carrying a stack of charts on the patients Dr X is making rounds on. Orders go directly in the charts. Later the doctor dictates the progress notes and they get added to the medical record that way.

Now a lot of nurses and doctors carry tablets.

If you want to get really modern, I was in the hospital a week ago and instead of using a call bell, I literally called the nurse or the assistant and told them what I needed. They all had cell phones in their pockets. For meds there was a computer in each room. Not only did they check my name, my wrist bracelet had a bar code. They scanned the bar code and then the bar code on the individually (unit dose) packaged pill or syringe.
 

P.K. Torrens

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Hi, Lee

I second everyone else's posts that medical records are moving towards being electronic but this depends on where your story is based.

However, most docs who are in charge of medically running the ward (usually the most junior in the team) carry a notebook or such, to record "jobs". For example the fact Mrs. X needs a chest X-ray is recorded in the patient's notes but the doc will record on their "list" that they need to organise the chest X-ray and then check it once it is done, as this is their responsibility.

Docs typically call these papers, "lists" and the doc prints them off at the beginning of the day and carries them around on ward rounds (when the patient is seen). They make notes next to the patient's names that remind them of what things they have to do. Often, there is 20+ jobs from a ward round so remembering all can be difficult... thus the "list".


I'm writing a story set in a hospital (although the main characters aren't doctors, so it's not heavy on medical lingo). The doctor who does appear carries a notebook binder which I refer to a couple of times. It seems like there might be a more accurate term for the binder a doctor carries around to write notes in. Is anyone familiar with this?
 
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