One paper at a time

My handwriting is deteriorating rapidly. In fact, it's become almost impossible to read my own writing. I can make exceptions for small things, like prescriptions, that must be semi-legible to avoid them coming back to bite me. But for the rest, notes upon pages of notes, forms upon pages of forms, writing all day long, it doesn't matter. What matters is that there is a scrawl (legible or not) on the line for physician or medical doctor. No one reads any of it, yet piles of papers have to be filled out every day for every patient seen. Is it worth the arthritis I already am starting to feel in my 1st metacarpal joint?

And that's how the days go, saving lives, one paper at a time.

Patient charts grow fast than bacterial colonies in hospital. In a matter of days, a half-inch folder can grow several inches, all to say "Mrs.-M-had-pneumonia-and-it-got-better-and-we-sent-her-home." But think of all the people employed in making those notes and filling those forms. Doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapist, social workers, case managers, unit clerks, personal care assistants, etc. They have good job security, they feed their families, all by writing notes.

And patients seem to get better if you just let them be. So I'll just stick to writing notes.