--- title: Narrative Notes are not Dead! description: Narrative Notes are not Dead! --- [![EHR Tutor](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/hs-fs/hubfs/60pixelslogo.png?width=60&height=60&name=60pixelslogo.png "EHR Tutor")](http://design-assets.hubspot.com/vast/homepage) [EHR Tutor](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/) - [Blog](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/blog) [![Login](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/1638078/5ea2e84d-531b-4787-a804-a27e1fcd1669.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/1638078/5ea2e84d-531b-4787-a804-a27e1fcd1669) # EHR Tutor Blog ## [Narrative Notes are not Dead!](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/2015/01/28/narrative-notes-are-not-dead) Jan 28, 2015 9:42:00 AM / by [user](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/author/user) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Now that charting is electronic, a lot of Nursing students skip straight from not knowing information to being presented with checklists and drop-down menus. In the past students had to understand, remember and recall information just to complete a chart. Now, it's become an exercise in choosing the best answer from the options.  Because of that, our students are often missing a huge opportunity to exercise their knowledge.  While we completely support the move to EHRs for future practice, we also think it's important to remember what made great nurses in the past and keep the parts of education that reinforced important skills.  For example, let's not forget the power of a narrative note. An easy way to integrate narrative notes into your modern curriculum is to require narrative assessments from your students before moving to the check box/drop-down charts in your EHR system.  We make that easy by providing a "Nursing Notes" section in EHR Tutor that is basically a big, free form text field. Simply have your students record their first 2 or 3 head-to-toe assessments in the Nursing Notes section. When grading students' work, allow students who have accurately and descriptively recorded an assessment move on to the standard Assessment flowsheet. For those students who still seem to be missing some key terminology or piece of the thought process, keep them in the Nursing Notes section until they demonstrate a true understanding of the nursing process and terminology. This is also a great way to pinpoint which students need a little more help and exactly where in the thought process they are getting stuck.  Not only will narrative notes help students think through their assessment instead of simply choosing the best option, but it also prepares them for a situation in which technology fails them (power outages, internet problems, login issues, etc.).  Yes, it's time to move into the future. But let's not forget our pasts.  Topics: [EHR Tutor](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/topic/ehr-tutor), [electronic medical records](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/topic/electronic-medical-records), [academic EHR](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/topic/academic-ehr), [electronic health records](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/topic/electronic-health-records), [health science education](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/topic/health-science-education), [teaching idea](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/topic/teaching-idea) #### Written by [user](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/author/user) ### Subscribe to Email Updates - Recent - Popular - Categories ### Lists by Topic - [nursing education (69)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/nursing-education) - [EHR Tutor (50)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/ehr-tutor) - [academic EHR (45)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/academic-ehr) - [academic EMR (37)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/academic-emr) - [teaching idea (37)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/teaching-idea) - [EHR (34)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/ehr) - [electronic health records (34)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/electronic-health-records) - [electronic medical records (34)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/electronic-medical-records) - [free resources (31)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/free-resources) - [EMR (30)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/emr) - [tools for nursing instructors (30)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/tools-for-nursing-instructors) - [Nursing Students (21)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/nursing-students) - [health science education (21)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/health-science-education) - [Uncategorized (19)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/uncategorized) - [nursing (19)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/nursing) - [Medical Assistant (17)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/medical-assistant) - [webinar (15)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/webinar) - [simulation (14)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/simulation) - [CNA (13)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/cna) - [medication administration (10)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/medication-administration) - [infographic (9)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/infographic) - [patient scenario (9)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/patient-scenario) - [video (9)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/video) - [Diane Yeager (8)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/diane-yeager) - [Funny (8)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/funny) - [Nurse Practitioner (8)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/nurse-practitioner) - [continuing education (8)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/continuing-education) - [freenursetutor (7)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/freenursetutor) - [Paramedic (6)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/paramedic) - [classroom (6)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/classroom) - [guest post (5)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/guest-post) - [medical terminology (5)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/medical-terminology) - [EMS (4)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/ems) - [EMT (4)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/emt) - [academic EHR vs. regular EHR (4)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/academic-ehr-vs-regular-ehr) - [links (4)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/links) - [CTE (3)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/cte) - [MOOC (3)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/mooc) - [SImulation study (3)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/simulation-study) - [barcode scanning (3)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/barcode-scanning) - [clinical rotations (3)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/clinical-rotations) - [coursera (3)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/coursera) - [freenursetutor.com (3)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/freenursetutor-com) - [google apps (3)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/google-apps) - [google apps for education (3)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/google-apps-for-education) - [math (3)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/math) - [publicity (3)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/publicity) - [billing and coding (2)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/billing-and-coding) - [common core (2)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/common-core) - [concept map (2)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/concept-map) - [concept maps (2)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/concept-maps) - [learning games (2)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/learning-games) - [medication cart (2)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/medication-cart) - [medication dispenser cabinet (2)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/medication-dispenser-cabinet) - [michael robellard (2)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/michael-robellard) - [physician's assistant (2)](https://blog.ehrtutor.com/tag/physicians-assistant) - [F.A. 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As we continue to grow and add more features for our users, we're determined to stick to those same fundamental beliefs. #### Links #### Contact Us 8004934603 [info@ehrtutor.com](mailto:info@ehrtutor.com) 11161 Overbrook Rd, Leawood Leawood, KS 66211 Copyright 2026 | Designed with by [HubSpot](http://www.hubspot.com)