Which of the following statements is correct about abbreviations?

A. Every facility should have an approved abbreviations list. Hospitals and healthcare settings maintain a list of approved abbreviations to ensure consistency and prevent misinterpretation.

B. Creating abbreviations saves time for the person reading the chart: Unapproved abbreviations can lead to confusion and errors, potentially harming the patient.

C. Writing out questionable abbreviations could make a jury think you're hiding something: Avoiding abbreviations improves clarity, and using full words is preferred in legal documentation.

D. Abbreviating drug names and dosages helps reduce medication errors: Abbreviating drug names can cause dangerous medication errors (e.g., MS can mean morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate). The Joint Commission prohibits certain abbreviations.

A. It increases cost.: While initial implementation is costly, computerized charting ultimately reduces costs by improving efficiency and reducing errors.

B. It promotes individualization of the medical record.: Computerized systems standardize documentation rather than individualizing it. However, personalization can be added through specific notes.

C. It improves legibility.: Handwritten notes can be illegible, leading to errors. Computerized charting eliminates handwriting issues and ensures clarity.

D. It minimizes the number of forms to be completed.: While it may reduce paperwork, it does not necessarily minimize documentation, as structured data entry is still required.