The magic respiratory rate

Do patients on the same floor all breathing the same rate eventually get on the “same cycle” just like female roomates who’s 28 day cycles syncronize? Seriously, the problem here is that people are not counting the respiratory rates and making an accross the room guess or a guess from the nurses station. Makes you wonder if the rest of the vital signs were fudged also. I’ve never seen more chart fudging than I do now. Its not just Nurses and EMT’s. Ever listen to physician dictations or look at the written chart especially if its charting from an electronic template. Its a wonder how lung and heart sounds appear on the chart on patients who were never touched. On a recent post http://ermurse.blogspot.com/2007/10/templated-charting-sslippery-slope-to.html I received numerous comments of creative charting. Anyone have any ideas why this is becomming more common?