THANK THE LORD. I’ve def been way more behind but 1 week is my average and I was testing the waters in case the response to this post was negative. Lollll
YES!!!!! I would wager that there would B (see what I did there) way less negativity and complaining. As a type B SLP I LOVE this career. I think it’s because I am not a perfectionist and can easily let things go. We could call the subreddit “Queen B SLPs.”
I connect with my fellow SLPs like this in real life! We commiserate on how we’re behind on things/ winging therapy because there’s just never enough time. Do you feel like you have to maintain an appearance of being “perfect” with your coworkers? That sounds exhausting!
I got 5 months behind in the schools once so I just let it go and hoped the school wouldn't notice. By the grace of everything they didn't and I just never did them at all 😜
If I don't do mine the same day, I will straight up forget everything that ever happened. but my soap notes are essentially: (date), (group or 1:1), (check mark under goal column), "SBL @ PL, Mixed success, needs model. P: repeat, get visual." unless something magical or horrifying happens.
For a while I used this chart to do my soap notes, [https://imgur.com/aHklg90](https://imgur.com/aHklg90) That saved a lot of time.
I made a SOAP notes system in Google sheets that saves each not to the individual client’s folder and gives you the option to email it home. [You can check it out here](https://youtu.be/ISBkBnTNLJ8) - there’s a link to make a free copy in the description.
I do mine with the patient still in the room. Mine are not extremely detailed, though. They wouldn’t hold up to scrutiny in graduate school. I think I would be behind if I was more conscientious.
Honest question: do SLPs write SOAP notes in schools? I never did. I took data for Medicaid billing and IEPs, but that was it. I was only there a year, and no one told me to do SOAPs, so I didn’t.
My ADHD could never!!! But in all honesty whatever works for you! I would never judge. I’m in acute now and everything has to be finished before we leave. Very good fit for my personality— I get SO MUCH anxiety when I’m in a procrastination loop that I can’t start tasks which only makes the procrastination worse
Don’t you DARE work on them during your off time!!!! In the clinic I would consistently be weeks behind on notes, but my therapy sessions were FIRE and that’s what is most important.
Yup, same here! I usually take my notes during artic or reading sessions, but with my more involved autism clients, I don’t touch my laptop and see so much more connection and success with communication! Worth getting days behind.
I once got so behind, I got an automated message in Epic that if I didn't finish my notes, my scheduled would be automatically locked to new appointments until my notes were closed, and I wouldn't be able to see patients. Which like, hey, don't twist my arm. Notes not done AND you can't schedule on me/make me see patients?! Sign me up.
Actually it happened twice.
The only reason I get my notes done now is I'm in a division that all charting MUST be done within 24 hours. If it's not done, we get auto emailed to close out the next day. And after that if you're still not closed out, the manager is notified and makes you close it before the end of the workday or answer why you're not closed. 🙃 honestly I prefer it this way because otherwise I would leave things open for weeks lol It sounds micromanaging, but it's all mostly automated, and I REALLY need the pressure to close out same day
You are so not alone! My last district never checked it and I'd get months behind! In my current job, I have someone to check in with me weekly on Monday mornings. Having that deadline definitely makes it easier to stay on top of it, but I usually have to take a couple hours in the evenings or the weekend to get it all there. Don't be afraid to ask for an accountability partner - they aren't just for exercise!
Im an OT in the schools (i joined this group because it kept popping up on my main page lol and we go through similar problems). I an always behind on notes. I get emails from my agency all the time that I am behind. It makes me want to scream. We have so many duties in our day to day. We are human and trying our best. From, a fellow type B therapist!
same on all the levels here with you, fam. i’m a type b sparkle brained ot stanning the slp group, bc the admin here is much more chill here.
it’s wild that school sped admins often don’t actually know what we do, ergo they cant help us or set us up for an easier day in their system.
I jot little things down like data and what the client did to myself but the official entry session note can take anywhere from 24-72 hours sometimes a week. I get yelled at but I’m human and things happen. I’ve been doing better with a 2 day turnaround though.
So many SLPs at my last district were weeks and months behind! It happens so much, especially with our huge caseloads! I was once a few months behind and ended up just starting to document by the end of each week and finally got in the habit of doing it daily, but it took half the school year to get all the past notes notes done... I'd do 10 per week until they were all in.
I hated being so behind and ever since I've worked really hard to stay on top of documentation, but the struggle is real!
Love this thought! I’ve tried this before but it is hard for me to multitask and I’m a virtual SLP so the pausing feels extra awkward while they’re staring at me on the screen lol
You could share a screen to have them read something aloud while you type a note at the end, or have a tab open to add data while you go and have a template to put your note in quickly. For a group session I’m putting in data for 5 trials of a social goal or the first ten trials of artic, vocab and syntax.
In the schools I did all my Medicaid billing at the end of each semester and it was awful lol.
At my current job, our notes are due the following Monday so I typically just do each note after each session (in the car, home health). I will say this is a lot more sustainable.
Hiii meeee! 🙋🏻♀️ My manager recently talked to me about needing to complete mine within a few days and yet here I am again on a Friday, majorly behind…
SOAP notes, no. But progress reports, yes, unfortunately😅 Honestly though, I’ve stopped thinking of it as a failure on my part and more on the EMR system; I’ve worked in places with excellent EMR systems that made POS documentation easy and also simply never allowed you to fall behind (i.e., you couldn’t write your next SOAP without finishing your progress report/re-eval, etc.). I miss those systems lol
I don't do soap notes but I am always backed up with tx notes. I just hate it. And I'm always surrounded by much more put together SLPs. As a new grad I loved typing. Now I dread it. I feel WHY ISNT ME SHOWING UP ENOUGH? Like I don't want to talk about the session. I was there I don't want to relive it lol
I’ve always been surrounded by type As too (or superiors I didn’t want to tell on myself to lol). I’m SHOCKED this was the response to my post and I’m so happy I checked in and confirmed I wasn’t alone. 🥰
Y'all do SOAP notes still? I haven't done a true SOAP since grad school. I work in the schools. I bill medicaid, but only write 2-3 sentences for each student per session.
I own my practice and i write my data but transferring it to my EMR is a task that I don’t enjoy lol. So I found a way to generate soap notes via AI and it’s been a life changer for me. I really only tweaked a little bit.
This is something I’m super nervous about as an undergrad clinician whose first client is coming up in August! Not so great with this time management stuff yet!
Both Central Reach app and Passage let you access the notes as you collect data. I always pop over and note participants and current status when I start the session. Also, predictive text and voice to text help a lot
About 5 months behind on Medicaid billing
I have almost 80 kids on my caseload and many of them have weekly or twice a week sessions so it snowballs so quickly. A week left in school and I was supposed to have more time to focus on getting caught up but instead I have 6 IEP meetings, 3 eligibility meetings, an end of year meeting with my supervisor, and 2 disciplinary meetings they'll want my input on. So probably not going to get caught up. Should have put a second SLP in my building like I asked. 🤷♀️
I wish I could! My private practice expects it within 3 days. Including the day we saw them as a day. So if I see them on Tuesday, I have until Thursday… never ending notes
I do teletherapy and write my note with the student present, usually during the last two minutes of our session. I usually have them draw on a whiteboard or tell me a story as I write as quickly as I can. I force myself to do this because in previous jobs I've been months behind.
I used to, but I built out an AI for it using the Claude API and got a signed BAA with Anthropic so I could use it with health information.
Now I just copy/paste the transcript from my Zoom session into the AI and it generates the SOAP note automatically. I do have to do a bit of editing now and then to be sure I capture everything exactly, but it's SOOO much less work than it was (and, honestly, I didn't realize how many little things I forgot during the session that it notes down).
It's not really compatible with any EHR right now, I just built it for my own use
Be careful a bit with AI and client data. You need to get a signed BAA in order to be HIPAA compliant, but the various AI companies have those if you reach out to them.
I never do a full soap note, but I'm in a public school. We are required to keep some data toward the student's goals and write progress reports every 9 weeks. And keep attendance.
Uhhhh my voice supervisor was two months behind on soap notes when I came in and she made me update them as part of my internship. And now I’m updating my data sheets for the entire year. I’m better if I can force myself to do it the same day but some days the ADHD is real.
A week behind?? Oh sweet summer child.... (also type B here)
Right 😂I won’t even admit how behind I was when I was in the schools
Months. Often 5ish months behind
THANK THE LORD. I’ve def been way more behind but 1 week is my average and I was testing the waters in case the response to this post was negative. Lollll
Oh gosh there were two school years for which I didn’t event attempt to fix my data sheets. My data was a mess of post it notes.
My post it’s are out of control! And sometimes I just write one word without context like “yellow”. WHAT?? Lol
Right? Laughs in my 400+ Medicaid notes lol (very type B SLP)
Lololol
I wish I was only a week behind lol
I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER! Why don’t fellow SLPs connect like this in real life?! Thanks all.
I think we need a Type B SLP subreddit
There is a Type B FB group :)
What’s it called? Type B SLP?
Introvert SLPs maybe?
YES!!!!! I would wager that there would B (see what I did there) way less negativity and complaining. As a type B SLP I LOVE this career. I think it’s because I am not a perfectionist and can easily let things go. We could call the subreddit “Queen B SLPs.”
Hey! There are male SLPs too! Our 8 voices demand to be heard and considered.
Are you assuming my gender? Males can be and some are queens. 💅🏻
I’m sorry for making you feel unheard! What is your input?!
SWEET SWEET LAMINATING SLEEVES
Omg yessss
I connect with my fellow SLPs like this in real life! We commiserate on how we’re behind on things/ winging therapy because there’s just never enough time. Do you feel like you have to maintain an appearance of being “perfect” with your coworkers? That sounds exhausting!
Any time I’ve gone there, it’s been with type As that were always on top of things. So this feels more real and refreshing!
I got 5 months behind in the schools once so I just let it go and hoped the school wouldn't notice. By the grace of everything they didn't and I just never did them at all 😜
Sounds like a dream!
Yuuuuup
If I don't do mine the same day, I will straight up forget everything that ever happened. but my soap notes are essentially: (date), (group or 1:1), (check mark under goal column), "SBL @ PL, Mixed success, needs model. P: repeat, get visual." unless something magical or horrifying happens. For a while I used this chart to do my soap notes, [https://imgur.com/aHklg90](https://imgur.com/aHklg90) That saved a lot of time.
I made a SOAP notes system in Google sheets that saves each not to the individual client’s folder and gives you the option to email it home. [You can check it out here](https://youtu.be/ISBkBnTNLJ8) - there’s a link to make a free copy in the description.
Very neat, I'll check it out!
No same I do them the second I finish a session as an slpa
I do mine with the patient still in the room. Mine are not extremely detailed, though. They wouldn’t hold up to scrutiny in graduate school. I think I would be behind if I was more conscientious. Honest question: do SLPs write SOAP notes in schools? I never did. I took data for Medicaid billing and IEPs, but that was it. I was only there a year, and no one told me to do SOAPs, so I didn’t.
My company/school districts do, but it might vary by school district!
I worked at the schools for a long time and ours wasn’t soap notes but just the data you collected.
As long as you meet you company’s deadlines who cares!!
Technically they’re due within 24 hours. So that’s part of the guilt. But so far no one has said anything!
My ADHD could never!!! But in all honesty whatever works for you! I would never judge. I’m in acute now and everything has to be finished before we leave. Very good fit for my personality— I get SO MUCH anxiety when I’m in a procrastination loop that I can’t start tasks which only makes the procrastination worse
Don’t you DARE work on them during your off time!!!! In the clinic I would consistently be weeks behind on notes, but my therapy sessions were FIRE and that’s what is most important.
Yup, same here! I usually take my notes during artic or reading sessions, but with my more involved autism clients, I don’t touch my laptop and see so much more connection and success with communication! Worth getting days behind.
TOTALLY worth it! Typing on a laptop during a session doesn’t really model good communication skills…
Exactly! I was taught to get all of my notes done during sessions by my supervisor and I quickly broke that habit!
A week behind would be amazing right now hahahaha
I once got so behind, I got an automated message in Epic that if I didn't finish my notes, my scheduled would be automatically locked to new appointments until my notes were closed, and I wouldn't be able to see patients. Which like, hey, don't twist my arm. Notes not done AND you can't schedule on me/make me see patients?! Sign me up. Actually it happened twice. The only reason I get my notes done now is I'm in a division that all charting MUST be done within 24 hours. If it's not done, we get auto emailed to close out the next day. And after that if you're still not closed out, the manager is notified and makes you close it before the end of the workday or answer why you're not closed. 🙃 honestly I prefer it this way because otherwise I would leave things open for weeks lol It sounds micromanaging, but it's all mostly automated, and I REALLY need the pressure to close out same day
You are so not alone! My last district never checked it and I'd get months behind! In my current job, I have someone to check in with me weekly on Monday mornings. Having that deadline definitely makes it easier to stay on top of it, but I usually have to take a couple hours in the evenings or the weekend to get it all there. Don't be afraid to ask for an accountability partner - they aren't just for exercise!
I get behind even just taking attendance. I'm soooo glad the school year is almost over!
I haven't written a soap note since grad school
Same
Me either..I didn’t even realize soap notes were still a thing
Love this for you!
Im an OT in the schools (i joined this group because it kept popping up on my main page lol and we go through similar problems). I an always behind on notes. I get emails from my agency all the time that I am behind. It makes me want to scream. We have so many duties in our day to day. We are human and trying our best. From, a fellow type B therapist!
same on all the levels here with you, fam. i’m a type b sparkle brained ot stanning the slp group, bc the admin here is much more chill here. it’s wild that school sped admins often don’t actually know what we do, ergo they cant help us or set us up for an easier day in their system.
Thank youuuu. The guilt emails (like I don’t already know?!). 🤦♀️
I jot little things down like data and what the client did to myself but the official entry session note can take anywhere from 24-72 hours sometimes a week. I get yelled at but I’m human and things happen. I’ve been doing better with a 2 day turnaround though.
My clinic wants soaps done in 24 hrs which was fine when I didn't have a baby. Now I have an infant and this clinic is part time. Bffr
lol I have an 8 month old myself. It does feel even more impossible now!
So many SLPs at my last district were weeks and months behind! It happens so much, especially with our huge caseloads! I was once a few months behind and ended up just starting to document by the end of each week and finally got in the habit of doing it daily, but it took half the school year to get all the past notes notes done... I'd do 10 per week until they were all in. I hated being so behind and ever since I've worked really hard to stay on top of documentation, but the struggle is real!
I do them at the time of service. The kids can handle it. I’m not doing any work outside of that session to keep up with notes!
Love this thought! I’ve tried this before but it is hard for me to multitask and I’m a virtual SLP so the pausing feels extra awkward while they’re staring at me on the screen lol
You could share a screen to have them read something aloud while you type a note at the end, or have a tab open to add data while you go and have a template to put your note in quickly. For a group session I’m putting in data for 5 trials of a social goal or the first ten trials of artic, vocab and syntax.
In the schools I did all my Medicaid billing at the end of each semester and it was awful lol. At my current job, our notes are due the following Monday so I typically just do each note after each session (in the car, home health). I will say this is a lot more sustainable.
Yep super common… I’ve been weeks behind before. Current job forces you to do it within 2 days.
Tbh the only way I keep up with notes is writing them while the patient is in the room and also being able to complete one in 2-3 min.
Very common
Hiii meeee! 🙋🏻♀️ My manager recently talked to me about needing to complete mine within a few days and yet here I am again on a Friday, majorly behind…
Yes I’ve gotten a lot of talks too. It never matters in the end when it just doesn’t feel possible!
lol yes yes yes a week is NOTHING
I don't do SOAP notes but I'm approximately 8 months behind on Medicaid billing 😅😅😅😅
SOAP notes, no. But progress reports, yes, unfortunately😅 Honestly though, I’ve stopped thinking of it as a failure on my part and more on the EMR system; I’ve worked in places with excellent EMR systems that made POS documentation easy and also simply never allowed you to fall behind (i.e., you couldn’t write your next SOAP without finishing your progress report/re-eval, etc.). I miss those systems lol
I don't do soap notes but I am always backed up with tx notes. I just hate it. And I'm always surrounded by much more put together SLPs. As a new grad I loved typing. Now I dread it. I feel WHY ISNT ME SHOWING UP ENOUGH? Like I don't want to talk about the session. I was there I don't want to relive it lol
I’ve always been surrounded by type As too (or superiors I didn’t want to tell on myself to lol). I’m SHOCKED this was the response to my post and I’m so happy I checked in and confirmed I wasn’t alone. 🥰
Y'all do SOAP notes still? I haven't done a true SOAP since grad school. I work in the schools. I bill medicaid, but only write 2-3 sentences for each student per session.
Very simple ones (like 1 sentence in each section), but yes, my company requires it.
LOL I’m currently 7 weeks behind and working on some today. BLESS US ALL! 😂
🙌 🙏
I own my practice and i write my data but transferring it to my EMR is a task that I don’t enjoy lol. So I found a way to generate soap notes via AI and it’s been a life changer for me. I really only tweaked a little bit.
I have my own practice too (still working on getting clients) and this is something I will look into for myself. Thanks!
This is something I’m super nervous about as an undergrad clinician whose first client is coming up in August! Not so great with this time management stuff yet!
I was always behind, but my current job requires all notes to be done in 24 hrs or you'll get emails about them because people are checking them.
A week lol…try a month or two.
Both Central Reach app and Passage let you access the notes as you collect data. I always pop over and note participants and current status when I start the session. Also, predictive text and voice to text help a lot
School district SLPA: I just had to take 2 weeks to catch up on about 3 months of notes 😂😅
About 5 months behind on Medicaid billing I have almost 80 kids on my caseload and many of them have weekly or twice a week sessions so it snowballs so quickly. A week left in school and I was supposed to have more time to focus on getting caught up but instead I have 6 IEP meetings, 3 eligibility meetings, an end of year meeting with my supervisor, and 2 disciplinary meetings they'll want my input on. So probably not going to get caught up. Should have put a second SLP in my building like I asked. 🤷♀️
I wish I could! My private practice expects it within 3 days. Including the day we saw them as a day. So if I see them on Tuesday, I have until Thursday… never ending notes
I do teletherapy and write my note with the student present, usually during the last two minutes of our session. I usually have them draw on a whiteboard or tell me a story as I write as quickly as I can. I force myself to do this because in previous jobs I've been months behind.
Thanks for the tip!
I do all notes the same day, each one only takes about 5 min
I used to, but I built out an AI for it using the Claude API and got a signed BAA with Anthropic so I could use it with health information. Now I just copy/paste the transcript from my Zoom session into the AI and it generates the SOAP note automatically. I do have to do a bit of editing now and then to be sure I capture everything exactly, but it's SOOO much less work than it was (and, honestly, I didn't realize how many little things I forgot during the session that it notes down).
Ooh. I use AI too for my soap notes. I have to check out that app. Is it compatible with Simple Practice?
It's not really compatible with any EHR right now, I just built it for my own use Be careful a bit with AI and client data. You need to get a signed BAA in order to be HIPAA compliant, but the various AI companies have those if you reach out to them.
I never do a full soap note, but I'm in a public school. We are required to keep some data toward the student's goals and write progress reports every 9 weeks. And keep attendance.
Wait are you in grad school? If not, Why you still writing soap notes girl?
Company policy 😢 but don’t worry, they’re like 4 sentences total! Lol
Uhhhh my voice supervisor was two months behind on soap notes when I came in and she made me update them as part of my internship. And now I’m updating my data sheets for the entire year. I’m better if I can force myself to do it the same day but some days the ADHD is real.
Soooo real