Tips for Healthcare Professionals Writing a SOAP Chart

Writing SOAP charts has become an important trend nowadays in healthcare settings. It has become an efficient way to record and share information about a patient that healthcare workers, insurers, and others can read to get accurate patient information. The key is being able to write a SOAP chart the right way, which can be easier said than done. That’s why we wanted to share some useful tips for healthcare workers on how to write a patient’s SOAP chart in an effective way. 

Pick a Good Time 

Timing plays a key role in writing an effective SOAP chart. Keep in mind that accuracy is arguably the most important part of these notes. Therefore, they must be written in a timely fashion, preferably right after meeting with a patient. It’s good practice to jot down notes while meeting with a patient and then fill out the SOAP chart immediately after while everything is fresh in your head. Waiting too long to write a SOAP chart can force someone to rely too much on their memory and risk putting inaccurate or incomplete information in the notes. 

Don’t Get Too Wordy 

In addition to accuracy, staying concise is the other important element of a SOAP chart. It’s good to be clear and provide detailed information when it’s necessary, but there is no need to be overly wordy in a SOAP chart. Always remember that the goal is to disseminate information in an efficient manner, so being too wordy or writing long and confusing sentences can negate the point of the SOAP chart in the first place. 

Remain Unbiased 

For the most part, opinions are the antithesis of the type of information wanted in a SOAP chart. It’s all about providing accurate facts and observations rather than offering opinions. This isn’t always easy to do, which is why medical professionals need to keep this in mind while writing a SOAP chart. Just try to write down what you see and what you know and not what you think about what you see or what you think you know. 

Don’t Rush to Judgment 

Along those same lines, it’s best not to rush judgment when writing a SOAP chart. The purpose of the activity is to collect information so that a treatment plan can be created. By jumping to conclusions too quickly, it’s possible to miss pertinent information about the patient that could impact their treatment in a negative way. 

Reduce Medical Jargon 

It’s natural for healthcare professionals to use medical jargon and clinical terms when writing a SOAP chart. But don’t forget that non-medical personnel might read these charts at some point. When possible, avoid getting too technical with medical terms and only try to use abbreviations and shorthand that will be universally understood by people outside of the healthcare field. 

Always Proofread 

Finally, proofreading SOAP charts is always a good idea. Just don’t think that you have to fix every minor spelling or grammatical error. Instead, you should be proofreading for accuracy and for any mistakes regarding patient information. The proofreading process should be quick and designed to make sure everything in the chart is accurate and makes sense to the next person who’s going to read it. 

How to Keep Healthcare Workers Safe 

Obviously, SOAP charts are designed with patient safety and well-being in mind. But healthcare organizations can’t afford to overlook employee safety either. This is why the safety solutions from EHS Insight can be so useful. Our system was created to monitor and manage employee health and safety in any professional setting. It’s the best way to make sure employees are able to do their job in the safest setting possible. 

If you want to provide your employees with a safe work environment, connect with us and let us be your partner in occupational safety.