Signing and locking charts is part of the electronic charting workflow and affects how chart entries are finished and how any future changes are tracked.
The Workflow
New chart entries will begin in a draft state until you choose to “Sign” them. Signing a chart entry is your way of saying, “Hey, this entry is complete, and no more changes should be made to it.”
Unsure of where to find a draft chart entry? In a patient’s chart tab, you can see if an entry is a draft or if it has been signed and locked at a quick glance.
To sign a chart entry, choose your template and fill out your chart. Once you are done, click the blue Sign button at the bottom right:
Jane will ask if you are sure you want to enter the chart - click OK if you are sure!
Voila! Your chart is now signed with a digital timestamp and signature (or a byline), and the padlock symbol will be closed.
Jane Tip 💡: As you get more familiar with charting, AI Scribe can help streamline the process by turning audio recordings into well-formatted chart entries. It’s a simple way to save time while keeping your documentation accurate and compliant.
If you need to make a change to a signed chart entry, you can enter an Amendment. This will indicate to any reader that the chart has been edited with a timestamp or byline.
Note📝: You’ll need to sign & lock each chart individually, as there isn’t a way to sign multiple draft charts at once in Jane!
Additional Notes & FAQ
⭐️ Why can’t I sign a chart entry?
If you’re having trouble signing a chart entry in Jane, here are some troubleshooting steps to try:
1. Confirm the Author
Only the author of the chart entry can sign it, so if you’re not seeing this option, that might be the culprit. If someone else started the chart entry by mistake, you can assign it to the correct practitioner before signing.
To start, a staff member with Full Access or the author of the chart can head over to the Patient’s Profile, and click on the Charts tab. Select the entry, scroll down to the bottom and click on the cogwheel icon. Here’s where you can select Change Author from the menu options.
Once the chart is assigned to you, you’ll be able to sign it.
Jane Tip💡: If you need to make a change after signing, you can Amend the entry. This ensures that all changes are tracked and clearly marked. Alternatively, you can duplicate the chart and the secondary entry will be a draft that you can make changes to.
2. Check the Chart Entry Status
Only chart entries in Draft status can be signed. If the chart is already signed and locked, you’ll see a closed padlock icon and a digital signature or byline.
For supervisees, if the chart status is Pending Signature, your Supervisor needs to approve the chart entry or send it back to you for review to change the status. Check out this guide for more information on how Supervision works in Jane: Supervision.
Practitioner Signatures on Charts
You can upload an image of your signature, which will be added to any signed, printed, or PDF chart entries. You can upload your signature in your Staff Profile > Edit / Settings > Settings.
Viewing all of your Charts
You can view all charts you have authored in your staff profile and use the filters to display all your unsigned chart entries to know what you still need to finish up. You can use the date filter and filter charts that were started or signed on a specific day.