Who Made Up The Blue Or Black-ink Only Rule?

[ToasterPastry]

As you may or may not know, doctors are not paid for their handwriting. I have often wondered that the more successful a physician is, the worse his/her handwriting. In fact, I think that some physicians pride themselves in their bad handwriting as a badge of success. Well, you can say, there are more medical errors, blah, blah, blah; and I would tacitly disagree. No, there are no errors, there are more annoying calls from pharmacists.

 

However, I have taken pride in my handwriting. At first, I received a lot of compliments in my writing. Then I realized they were just happy to read it. But I've been on the other side of fence. I come along as a consultant, and have been unable to read the primary attending physician's handwriting. In fact, I've thought about scanning it and posting it here. It would be no HIPPA violation, because no human could actually read it. As a consultant, this means more work for me because I now have to interview the patient over again, asking them ridiculous questions about their family history, when I don't, in fact, really care about their family history. My point is that if you can read my handwriting, then you understand what I'm thinking. You may disagree with my interpretation of results. But at least it's a starting point, and we all benefit.

 

So where does this involve ink? I love ink. I love trying different colors. I love mixing colors. I love greens, purples, browns, reds and oranges. The highlight of my day is trying my new pen and my new ink. It's what makes writing in the chart actually fun. This is where I test out the inks that I review. The inks are tested on a wide variety of paper qualities. If you can read it, if it can be scanned by a photocopy machine, and it doesn't burn your eyes, then does it really matter if its blue or black, does it. There is always some clerk that says: "You know, doctor, you're only suppose to write in blue or black ink."

 

This brings me to my question: Who made up that @*&*@Kng rule in the first place? Where is it written? Why was it written?

[fifthblackbird]

Consider the following thread: Debrett's Etiquette on ink colours, informing us where it's written.

 

From Debrett's New Guide to Etiquette and Modern Manners, by John Morgan:

 

Black remains the most correct and distinguished choice. Blue is very much in second place and is thought more suitable for women than for men. Blue-black is only appropriate for schoolboys. Coloured inks, although more acceptable than before, are still considered very suspect in traditional circles.

 

Interesting, huh? ../../../style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif

 

ETA: You've already posted the reason why the ink color rules are in place (that is, professionalism and tact), in The Wrong Ink for the Wrong Occasion!

Edited August 7, 2010 by fifthblackbird

[ToasterPastry]

 

 

ETA: You've already posted the reason why the ink color rules are in place (that is, professionalism and tact), in The Wrong Ink for the Wrong Occasion!

 

 

Ahhhh....I didn't elaborate on my personal philosophy in that thread. On a man's deathbed, even I have my limits. The Hello Kitty pen with the glitter-ink stays in the drawer. In all things professional, the ink color has to be professional, e.g. pink or bright orange is off-limits. As I've stated previously, there is no 'rule' about blue or black; even though claim there is one. If the color is readable and professional looking, who cares about the color. I figure I have about another 4 years to enjoy my pens, and then everything will be typed or transcribed.

Edited August 7, 2010 by ToasterPastry

[FarmBoy]

There is a rule about using only blue or black ink. It is currently hanging on the wall of our stock room, written in red.

 

I know not who put it there.

[Viseguy]

If the color is readable and professional looking, who cares about the color.

The problem is that, apart from the "safe" choices (black, blue, blue-black), what's readable and professional-looking is in the eye of the beholder. When an ink draws attention to itself, you run the risk that the perception of it may be negative. (Not that you should necessarily care.)

 

By the way, that Debrett's pronouncement is a mite sententious, is it not? A wee bit snobbish? A tad out of touch with the real world? No?

[jphu]

The place I'm at is even more strict. I'm a student and got called out by the attending because I wrote in blue ink! The "it-doesn't-photocopy-well" excuse is what I hear all the time. I agree with toasterpastry: if it can be read and photocopied, why does it matter what color it is? Now I'm stuck using black, and considering blue-black or even Legal lapis to see if anyone says anything.

[nunez]

Good question. While can't ever recall it written in a policy manual, it is certainly suggested that black is the only real colour of choice for business penmanship. There could also be more practical reasons, such as uniformity and consistency in record keeping. Just a thought.

 

- SteveN

[drmom777]

I used to work in a black ink only hospital. Being rather subversive, I mixed my own violet blue black and claimed it was black. Now I work in a blue-or-black hospital and have a rotation of now 14 (and growing) inks that I think qualify. It is really quite a lot of fun. I interpret blue quite liberally, to include a lot of inks trending towards teal and violet. Also includes Gerry's indigo from the ink mixing thread.

[ailleurs]

I feel a bit of a hypocrite at the start of every semester when I hand out syllabi that state hand-written assignments must be done in blue ink, black ink (yes, blue-black would be fine) or pencil. One look at my ink stash at home shows a decided appreciation of not only blues, but purples, browns, oranges, and burgundy.

 

My reasons are entirely pragmatic:

 

1) I have a really hard time reading some shades. I'm not color blind, but I have a hard time reading handwriting that's in certain shades of pink, for example.

2) There is *no* mistaking what I've written and what the students have written if I'm using Poussière de lune and they're using blue or black. No chance of someone claiming 'but it says right here you gave me an 83, not a 63!' in that case.

 

I would guess that the first one is more of a factor than anything in settings which prescribe the use of certain colors than outdated notions of what is 'proper' or 'acceptable.'

[jaqcp]

Another reason for the B/B rule in education is so that when the teacher grades in a certain color (such as red), it can be easily and quickly distinguished from the students' writing. A difference in student/teacher ink colors also somewhat protects the teachers from accusation that they changed a student's answers.

 

Some companies actually "assign" different colors to different departments/people to keep track of who made specific notations for collaborative projects.

 

I also agree that some ink colors ("Buttercup" anyone?) are just too hard to read easily in average circumstances.

 

"Play" with colors, but "work" with dark colors that do not distract.

[79spitfire]

I must be lucky, other than a few odd stares for some of the brighter colors no one I work with seems to give a flying rat..

[khymeera]

Whoever invented that rule must be killed! Or if they're dead, brought back to life via voodoo, then killed! Colored ink is such a joy to work with. I admit, writing in yellow or bright orange probably isn't good...but what's wrong with a little green or brown?

 

as for handwriting...alas, it has indeed become a badge of honor for doctors. In fact I'm practicing my bad handwriting now and I'm only a junior in college. No, I'm not going to be a MD. I am going to become a professor. And Professors write in bad handwriting just to remind the world that they're 'Doctors' too.

[redshifteffect]

 

 

ETA: You've already posted the reason why the ink color rules are in place (that is, professionalism and tact), in The Wrong Ink for the Wrong Occasion!

 

 

Ahhhh....I didn't elaborate on my personal philosophy in that thread. On a man's deathbed, even I have my limits. The Hello Kitty pen with the glitter-ink stays in the drawer. In all things professional, the ink color has to be professional, e.g. pink or bright orange is off-limits. As I've stated previously, there is no 'rule' about blue or black; even though claim there is one. If the color is readable and professional looking, who cares about the color. I figure I have about another 4 years to enjoy my pens, and then everything will be typed or transcribed.

 

Unfortunately on our consult paper it actually says in bold writing Black ink only. So I've had to give up all the blues I've grown fond of...

[Edgar Allan Bo]

Luckily I've calmed down a bit with my colored-ink experiments and use blue-black most of the time now.

 

When I remember all the times I had to explain to other people why I am writing with violett / green / brown ink!

[redshifteffect]

BTW I asked someone this question once and apparently it has to do with faxing/photocopying. Apparently certain inks like red don't fax/photocopy well.

[Edgar Allan Bo]

BTW I asked someone this question once and apparently it has to do with faxing/photocopying. Apparently certain inks like red don't fax/photocopy well.

 

Turquoise is almost invisible on faxes.

Edited August 8, 2010 by Edgar Allan Bo

[fuchsiaprincess]

BTW I asked someone this question once and apparently it has to do with faxing/photocopying. Apparently certain inks like red don't fax/photocopy well.

 

Actually, red photocopies the best. I have seen charts printed on red paper, so that when they are photocopied, it just comes out completely black :bunny01:

[WendyNC]

There was a time when only black ink would scan clearly with photocopiers/microfishe/microfilm, so I understand "black only" as a holdover from those bygone days. However, during that stage, blue ink didn't scan worth diddly (in fact, red scanned better than blue), so I have no idea where the blue fits into this picture.

[Mr. Spiff]

Actually, the photocopying issue is the entire point.

For instance - here in The States, when one signs their life away for a house, the title and mortgage paperwork are nearly always signed in blue ink. The idea being - if you see a black signature, you know it to be a copy (clearly a holdover from a time that did not include color copying).

As a hospital administrator, I am simply required to keep my ink choices looking professional. Although, I do sign all contract and HR-related documents in blue-black.

[stinkyweasel]

I once worked for an O.D. When it came to his patients charts,there were only two rules:black ink only,and if you didn't write it down,then it didn't happen.He actually was the one who got me into the habit of metulicous note taking. He also wanted any mistakes on charts to be crossed out with one single line.Reason being,if he had to go to court,it wouldn't look like he or the staff was trying to hide anything. I remember when he first came to our office,the ladies I worked with had to put away their purple and pink pens.(with a lot of grumbling!)At the time I only used blue or black pens.Working in a busy office,I would grab which ever was closest to me. As much as I now enjoy fountain pens and the wide range of inks that come with them,when it comes to working,no matter what job I have,its black ink only. To me its just more professional looking. I look at it this way-if the president/CEO of my company came to my desk/work space and asked for whatever document,I would be very embarrased if I handed him papers written in a red,green or a pink ink. Besides,why would I want to waste my good fp inks at work,on documents I may never see again? I'll save my good inks for my personal writings and letters to friends.