VEMA scribes work at either Inova Fair Oaks Hospital or Fauquier Hospital. With 24-hour emergency care services, scribes are exposed to a variety of conditions and learn the necessary skills to provide quality healthcare in a modern facility.

During each shift the scribe is paired with a single ED physician. The scribe accompanies the physician to the bedside of each patient and is responsible for documenting all aspects of care. Scribes witness a breadth of clinical cases from basic medical complaints to the care of the critically ill.

Scribes are present during all ER procedures, including: laceration repairs, joint reductions, conscious sedation, intubations, central line placements, and lumbar punctures. In addition, they observe medical resuscitation, including cardiac and respiratory arrest cases.

The role of a scribe includes:

• Recording patient histories in a web-based electronic medical record (EMR)
• Transcribing details of the physical exam and patient orders in the EMR
• Documenting procedures performed by the physician
• Checking on the progress of labs, radiology studies, and other patient evaluation data

VEMA scribes have the rare opportunity to observe patient-physician interactions, witness the medical decision-making process, and explore the field of medicine in a top-ranked hospital.