Signing and locking charts is part of the electronic charting workflow and affects how chart entries are finished and how any future changes are tracked.
The Workflow
New chart entries will begin in a draft state, until you choose to “Sign” them. Signing a chart entry is your way of saying, “Hey, this entry is complete, and no more changes should be made to it.”
In a patient’s chart, you will see if an entry is a draft or if it has been signed and locked.
You can also upload an image of your signature, which will be added to any signed, printed or PDF chart entries.
If you need to make a change to a signed chart entry, you can enter an Amendment, which will clearly indicate to any reader that the chart has been edited.
You can also view all charts you have authored in your staff profile. Use the filters to display all your unsigned chart entries, to know what you still need to finish up.