charting?

[qpmz]

I'm interested in travel nursing but wonder if any of you have had trouble with the different charting styles out there. Where I am currently we are going from paper to total electronic (not looking forward to it) and we are having to take approx 36 hours of training. Is this normal if you travel somewhere and they also have electronic charting?

[jadegypsy]

most places seem to be electronic these days, and no you only get a few hours to learn the system. Good part is they only teach you what you need usually, not the entire system. the worst is meditech ( used at HCA hospitals-its a real bugger, but once you get it its OK_) I am old (60) and maybe I am a tad slower that you youngsters at this

computer stuff LOL

[travelinjones]

I've worked with 4 different systems so far. Meditech aside, once you learn one, the others are easier to catch on to. So far Epic has been my favorite, mainly because the docs at that particular facility made great use of the online ordering. Docs were reviewing notes and results from home, and patching in orders accordingly...Still a few hold outs with massive 'TORB' orders...

Now I'm back to the paper charting system, and yikes...it seems so inadequate!

[qpmz]

thanks for the replies!

[KaraThrace]

I am a little jaded yet to maybe speak to E-charting.

I spent the beginning of my carreer hand charting as many of us--and still kind of liked the convenience of jotting down significant points right at the door--in the moment--while things were still "fresh".

I have since now worked at two hospitals--both with the same program, meditech. I do feel that the time spent at the computer seems to keep me away from my patients more than I ever had been in hand-charting days.

Perhaps though--this to might improve. There is talk of tablets living in every room, and I like that idea for the reasons I mentioned above--being able to chart in real time.

We also have electronic bedside medication verification--which I think is great conceptually--but flawed in reality (as of now and with our set-up).

The med carts with the computers and scanners are big and clunky--and the scanners are just awful--they simply do not scan the patient's ID band as they should too often.

So then one ends up leaving the bedside and scanning a code from--say a patient sticker or paperwork--thusly eliminating that bedside check that the expensive units were intended for.

I guess in the end--I think we are on the right track--and our generations to come will enjoy a convenient and safe system.

But for now--it is simply not either of those.

I am absolutely sure that there are some facilities that have some true, state-of-the-art fancy stuff that works much better.

Can't wait to experience that!

Good luck!

E

:)