[kokomol]

I would like to get some feedback from those of you that do bedside charting without computers. How does it work and what are the benefits and/or drawbacks? We are currently keep all of the charts at the nurse's station, which is located at the beginning of the unit. I would like to try putting the charts in locked cabinets outside of the rooms so that the staff is charting closer to their patients. I am interested to see if there has been any study showing an impact on the fall rate, use of restraints, etc.

[SarahK73]

We just finished a new hospital tower and I now have a 30 bed med-surg unit. We have small charting areas every couple of rooms, equiped with a computer. I encourage the staff not to hang out at the nurses station, I want them out and by the rooms. All of our charts are decentalized and by the charting areas. We also have COWs (computers on wheels) that we take into the pt room to chart our admission assessments or if more supervision is required. It works well to keep the nurses close to their patients.
Sarah