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What is F-DAR Charting? FDAR Charting Examples

As a nursing student and new nurse you will be required to chart in the FDAR format (the is usually the charting standard in most healthcare facilities) .

So, what is F-DAR charting? What are examples of FDAR charting?

FDAR stands for Focus (F), Data (D), Action (A), and Response (R ).

It is a handy way to chart and save time. In this article, I was to simplify FDAR charting for you and show you the following:

  • What F-DAR charting is and why it is used
  • What F-DAR charting looks like
  • Explain each section of the F-DAR and what it includes
  • Give Various Examples for different charting scenarios

What is F-DAR charting and why it is used?

It is a method of charting nurses use, along with other disciplines, to help focus on a specific patient problem, concern, or event. It is geared to save time and decrease duplicate charting. It is a great charting method for nurses who have a lot of patients and is easier read by other professionals. It gives other professionals a snapshot of what went on during your shift in a concise manner.

It is used not only by nurses but other disciplines like nutritionists, occupational therapy, case management etc. Most health care settings are requiring disciplines to now document in the F-Dar format.

Video Tutorial on How to F-DAR Chart

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What does FDAR charting look like?

Below is an example of what a typical FDAR charting set-up looks like. Note how it is split into columns (the date/time, focus, and progress note which are all in separate columns)

example of fdar progress note

 

What does the FDAR stand for?

F (Focus): This is the subject/purpose for the note. The focus can be:

  • Nursing diagnosis
  • Event (admission, transfer, discharge teaching etc.)
  • Patient Event or Concern (code blue, vomiting, coughing)

D (Data): This is written in the narrative and contains only subjective (what they patient says and things that are not measurable) & objective data (what you assess/findings, vital signs and things that are measurable). This lays the supporting evidence for why you are writing the note. You are letting the reader know “this is what the patient is saying and what I’m seeing”.

A (Action): This is the “verb” area. In this section, you are going to write here what you did about the findings you found in the data part of the note. This includes your nursing interventions (calling the doctor, repositioning, administering pain medication etc.)

R (Response): This is where you write how the patient responded to your action. Sometimes, you won’t chart the response for several minutes or hours later.

Examples of F-Dar Charting

Example 1: This is what it would look like if you are charting a DAR format and the response is written later. Note how the note was first written at 1100 and the response was written later at 1145.

FDAR Sample

 

Example 2: In this example, I show how you can have just an R (Response). For example, say the patient has met a goal on the care plan on demonstrating how to properly use the incentive spirometer. You would document just the R (charting the D and A would be redundant and pointless)

 

Focus Charting for Nurses

Example 3: In this example, I show how you can chart just a D (Data). This is used for when you don’t have a flow sheet to document something like a transfer, procedure, admission, or something to the equivalent that needs to be charted. For instances, say you received a patient back from a thoracentesis and there is no flow sheet for you to document about receiving the patient back from the procedure, here is how you could chart it.

Documentation for nurses

 

Example 4: In this example, I show how you could chart by starting with Action (A) and Response (R ). You would do this if it is unnecessary to repeat the objective and subjective data and/or your interaction with the patient began with an action. For example, this is what you would use for discharge teaching or patient education. Note how the response was written later (at 1600) when the patient actually demonstrated the injection.

How to chart as a nurse

Conclusion

F-DAR is a concise and easy what of charting. It takes some practice to the get use to and I highly encourage that during clinical and orientation time you take ample time to practice charting.

You may be interested in: How to do a Nursing Care Plan

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