Which action would be inappropriate when correcting the documented time of an assessment?

Which action would be inappropriate when correcting the documented time of an assessment?

• A. Insert Col to set the actual time
• B. Leave the current time as the documented time
• C. Create a separate 7:15 column
• D. Add a separate 7:15 column

Answer: (B)

Accurate documentation requires keeping the original entry intact and recording the correction in a verifiable way. If you know the assessment time is wrong, leaving the documented time as-is would produce an inaccurate chart and undermine the record’s integrity. The proper approach is to capture the actual time without erasing the original entry—such as inserting a column for the true time or adding a separate 7:15 entry—so both the original time and the corrected time are visible and auditable. This preserves a clear trail of what happened and when, which is essential for patient safety and legal accountability.

Accurate documentation requires keeping the original entry intact and recording the correction in a verifiable way. If you know the assessment time is wrong, leaving the documented time as-is would produce an inaccurate chart and undermine the record’s integrity. The proper approach is to capture the actual time without erasing the original entry—such as inserting a column for the true time or adding a separate 7:15 entry—so both the original time and the corrected time are visible and auditable. This preserves a clear trail of what happened and when, which is essential for patient safety and legal accountability.