If you make an error in paper documentation, what should you do?

The correct action when you make an error in paper documentation is to draw a line through the error and sign your initials. This approach maintains the integrity and accuracy of the documentation process. By crossing out the mistake and initialing it, you create a clear record of what was entered previously, which can be critical for accountability and transparency. This practice ensures that anyone reviewing the document can see what the original entry was and understand that a correction has been made.

Maintaining transparency is particularly important in fields like healthcare, where accurate documentation is essential for patient safety, legal protection, and continuity of care. Simply ignoring the mistake or rewriting the information in a different notebook would not provide a clear trail of what was originally documented and could lead to confusion or misinterpretation of patient records. Erasing the error, while seemingly effective, may create ambiguity about what was originally written and can raise concerns about tampering with the medical record. Therefore, marking the error clearly and appropriately is the best practice.