Flow sheet for the medical field?

A flow sheet or flow chart is a graph sheet on which certain necessary information can be recorded at regular intervals throughout a shift and throughout a 24-hour period.

There are many types of flow sheets or flow charts used in the medical field. Not all hospitals, nursing homes, or home care agencies use flow sheets. Some prefer narrative charting only; some prefer a combination of flow sheet plus narrative charting.

In Nursing

Different types of hospital floors might use flow charts. For example, in a med-surg unit, fluid intake and output (I/O) is important. I/O might be needed every hour to assess kidney function. In narrative charting, it would look like this:

7:00a.m. Lactated Ringers IV patent at 100cc/min. Site clear, no swelling, no pain. Voided 100cc. per urinary catheter since 6a.m. (etc.)

8:00a.m. Lactated Ringers IV patent at 100cc/min. Site clear, no swelling, no pain. Voided 100cc. per urinary catheter since 7a.m. (etc)

The stats would be repeated every hour (or as ordered).

Instead of repeatively charting each fluid amount with times, a flow chart uses a graphed page with the same information.

Types of information that lends itself to flow chart or flow sheet include:

• temperature
• pulse
• respiration
• intake of fluid
• output of fluid
• wound check
• and much more