Is EPIC coming to your facility??....

[NYRN08]

My facility is going through the process of training all employees to use EPIC. It's a new system that is on the computer and is replacing all the patients paper charts. They say this new system is suppose to be easier and that it will make the Doctors be more responsible and their orders more legible. Along with that instead of running around looking for "who" has the chart. I can now be in the chart, when radiology, dietician, social worker, doctor, etc is also in it. Also, I think it has something to do JCAHO.

This is all new to me, for I was just hired at this facility and I am going through the hospital orientation part which includes EPIC training. I'm not even sure what EPIC stands for.(I think it's something like Electronic Patient, Information, C (not sure) I'm sure that they have said it in class a few times but I'm so into learning each module and studying for the test they have at the end. I wasn't paying attention.

I am very nervous for EPIC, is going live this Sunday, at my facility. There is alot of information to learn and grasp. I hear or what I'm being told is that eventually that it will be used all over the United States. I just wanted to know what states use them now?

Does anyone use EPIC in there facility? Is anyone currently training to use the system? If so,

1. How do you like it?

2. Is it just a time consuming as paper charts?

3. How did your doctors adjust to using it?

4. How did you and your fellow nurses adjust?

Any input would be great to hear from you!!

[PMFB-RN, RN]

We do not use EPIC but use MATRIX which i think is a similar version. It is a pain in the behind, it does not save time, it shows at exactly what time orders, progress notes etc where put in. there is no late entries etc, I have practically seen nurses worship computers, they sit there and work their behind off to finish the paperwork all at the expense of patient care.

*** The thing to remember about computerized charting is that it is desinged to make life easier for those who pull the data OUT. Little thought seems to have been given to those of us who have to enter the data. I have used most of the well known systems, including Epic and all of them take far more time to chart in than paper.

[mama_d, BSN, RN]

I love EPIC. I was a superuser at my facility when we went live, and it did take some adjusting to, but overall go-live went very well.

I was working not long ago when we upgraded and the system was down overnight. Going back to the paper world, even for a few hours, was a nightmare. I don't miss it at all!

[cardiacmadeline, RN]

dumb question here- do you scan in tele strips?

also- if there are new orders, how are you notified?

Pretty much everything can be scanned in, including tele strips and 12 leads, making it very easy for a doc to interpret when they are elsewhere in the hospital. As far as new orders, an icon will pop up letting you know there are new orders.

[SJamesS]

I currently use Epic at my facility and find it very useful. The biggest challenge is learning where to look for all the information you need, but in the long run it does speed things along. Most docs enter their own orders, once in a while you come across one who will expect you to do it, but mostly they do it themselves. At my hospital I find it particularly useful that no matter where the doc is in the hospital they can access chart while on the phone with me. I'm a fan.

[nicurn5]

It came and we use but I do not like it. I came from a facility where we had brought in Cerner and it has more features than EPIC. EPIC won't add up our blood loss from tests. A true pain in the ..... The IT guys tried to tell me that Cerner went down too much and this was a better alternative but I disagree. Cerner was easier to read especially when it comes to reading orders. You sometime have to hunt for what you have been told to order or what you have been told has been ordered.

[kool-aide, RN]

My hospital uses EPIC and I don't really care for it. I'm a CNA, so I don't have anywhere near the amount of charting as the nurses do, but it's still frustrating. We used McKessen HED before and I liked it SO much better. Oh, well. At my facility, the nurses seem to still be having some problems with labs and orders and we've been live for like 3 weeks..

[MunoRN, RN]

EPIC is usually considered to be one of the top charting systems out there, so while the transition will be stressful, it could be a lot worse (Carecast).

Computer charting and CPOE is actually required by the HiTECH act, not the Joint Commission, and will require all organizations over a certain size to use electronic charting and CPOE within a few years.

[colleennurse, ASN, RN]

We just transitioned to EPIC. I like it and it seems to be going well. The hospital I worked for put a lot into the training and staffing when we transitioned. I think it helps you to remember things during your assessment, it does not really save time though, but does make care safer. Matter of fact today we get a free catered breakfast to celebrate how well we are doing with it since we made the switch about a month ago

[JulieCVICURN, BSN, RN]

We use McKesson and we have opinions on it vary, mainly based on the generation gap. The older nurses who remember paper charting are thrilled when we have downtime and they can paper chart, the newer nurses who never paper charted don't know what to do when the computers go down. We're getting ready to start CPOE and just like with nursing charting, some physicians are excited, some are just resigned to accept it, and some say there's no way in hell they're doing it. We'll see about that.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

moved to an nursing informatics forum --many posts about epic.

having been on an emr 9 yrs, first 6 months tough, still learning 3yrs later....tweeking system onling adventure with each upgrade about q 6-12 months...to meet regulatory requirements: still ocassional torture when beta site.

[NYRN08]

@ jr west - we are able to see new orders under the proper tabs or on the patient summary. As for the tele-strips, I won't be doing tele-strips. So I can't answer that question for you. Maybe someone here can offer insight on the tele-strips and scanning them.

[martymoose, BSN, RN]

Thanks NYRN08. So does that mean then that unless you are actually signed on, that you won't be aware of new orders?