Build your own ward quick-reference: what to include and how to keep it
Many interns end up with a notebook or a phone note that saves them time on the ward. Here is how to make a good one. It is about organisation, not about what to write clinically.
Decide what it is for
A quick-reference is for things you need fast and often forget: your hospital's contact numbers, common forms, protocols you must follow and reminders about your own workflow.
Copy from reliable sources only
Take clinical information from your hospital protocols, current guidelines and trusted textbooks, and write the source next to it. If you cannot name a source, do not rely on it.
Keep it short and scannable
One page per topic, with headings and the minimum words. If a page needs scrolling or squinting, it is too long for the ward.
Put a date on every page
Guidelines and local protocols change. A date tells you when you last checked, and a regular review prevents you from relying on out-of-date notes.
Keep a copy offline
Wards often have poor network. Keep a copy on your phone that works without internet, and consider a small printed copy as a backup.
Your own notes never replace your hospital protocols or your senior's guidance. Our free one-pagers can be saved offline and printed if you want a quick visual reference to sit alongside your own notes.
General study advice only. This is not medical advice and does not replace guidelines, supervision or local protocols.
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