Connect the Dots

Practical Pointer
Discover Shortcuts Devised by Colleagues

On many of our patient charts, we have red, blue, and yellow dots to alert us to 3 particular problems:

• Red = “Red alert”: Another patient with a similar name.

• Blue = “Code blue”: Patient faints easily with blood draws and injections.

• Yellow = “Jaundice”: Abnormal and dangerous blood disease, such as hepatitis.