Phonetic Clarification
For sound-alike words and letters, use the phonetic alphabet to clarify. Examples of times to use clarification include but are not limited to: patient names, procedure or test names, and medication names.
Example:
“Neurology consult to room 405 – that’s neurology with an N as in November,” “I’m calling about Mr. Danes – starting with D as in Delta,” “Code Blue in room 330B – that’s B as in Bravo.”
Numeric Clarification
For sound-alike numbers, say the number and then the digits.
Example:
15… that’s one-five, 50… that’s five-zero, 425… that’s four-two-five, 4 to 5… that’s the range four dash five.
Here is a Phonetic & Numeric Clarification example:
Environmental Services receives a call from the Unit Secretary to clean a patient’s room that is very sensitive to cleaning odors. The room number is 202 West. The EVS Associate responds to the request with a numeric clarification:
- EVS Associate: “To clarify, you said room 202 West? That’s two-zero-two?”
- Unit Secretary: “That’s correct.”