computer vs. paper charting

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what's your opinion? My unit is planning to go to computer charting in a few months now, and I'm wondering if it's as easy to trend as on paper. it probably depends on what system is used...hmm.

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I have had limited time with computer charting... however, the experience has been good. It was very easy to trend with the computer....and much of computer charting is simply check the box. It doesn't require much narrative at all....

I think you will love it.... I can't wait until the hospital where I work now starts using computer charting

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Specializes in LTC?Skilled and dialysis.

I wish our facility would switch to computer charting...We are still old school with the paper charting and it takes forever...I mean u have to find the chart, find the tab and 9 out of 10 times get a new sheet because somoeone filled the sheet and didnt replace it. Then u have to find a different sheet to chart your VS on.....Whew! The drama.......

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I interviewed for a position one time where I was asked about computer charting and I gave my honest opinion about it based on my previous experience in the computer industry. Every one on the panel agreed with me that they did not like computer charting. I try to avoid employment where this is a requirement.

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Well, part of my job is helping to implement computer charting and the consensus where I work is that we love it. If you have a decent system you can pull up a bunch of different pages at once, hit the chart key and see a graph - if well designed, it can be great. However, if you have a lousy system it's horrible.

If done right it makes your life easier.

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

Face it everyone, computer charting is coming everywhere and it is here to stay.

Some of the advantages:

1) When a patient is admitted, the process is much more efficient. If they have already been seen in the hospital, or a connected outpatient clinic, the pt's history and meds are instantly accessible. One is verifying any changes rather than starting again from the beginning. Any scans, procedures, notes are all available as well, no digging through reams of paper.

2) If, for instance, I know I am getting the pt, Jane Doe, from the ED, I can access her chart from the ICU and know her status, her test results, etc. It makes the reporting and transferring process much more efficient.

3) It is a breeze to zip around the chart, and past charts, by pointing and clicking.

4) The change of shift process is much enhanced. We have a "sign-out report" capability, that we update each shift, these reports along with pertinent pt data is printed out and each nurse receives them and in our hospital there is also a taped verbal report process (as in the old days) but the time in group report btw shifts becomes much shorter.

Some disadvantages:

1) With the epic system that we use, there is ALOT of pointing and clicking and many of us, especially at first, got very sore wrists.

2) In the hospital where I work, there is insufficient back-up systems in place in case there is a glitch in the system. So far, as far as I know, this has not cost anyone their lives. I don't blame the computer system, I blame the lack of foresight in the powers that be at my hospital.

3) The process to change to system-wide computer charting was a long arduous, painful and stressful process in the hospital where I work. It was extremely poorly planned, in this case, and was not an easy transition.

4) EPIC, which is probably the most common system out there, is often a massive, complicated and non-user-friendly system. Older nurses, with little computer savvy, can have a very difficult time. I honestly believe that no real bedside nurses were involved in the development of the system. (IMHO) However, improvements come along all the time.

5) One must resist the temptation to open a pt's chart that you had a day or two before to see how they are doing. This is a huge HIPPA violation and nurses can lose their jobs. Any access to anywhere in the system can be tracked and traced.

I am sure there are much more, but that is all I can think of right now. Overall, it is worth the birthing pains. Someday we can all say that we remember the day when we did all of our charting on paper and we will blow the young ones away!! hehe

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I'm probably supposed to like computer charting, but in reality, I despise it. We've been "paperless" for a year and a half. (Not really..plenty of stuff left that doesn't "transfer over.") We use Cerner, is anyone's familiar with that. Very "click" intense....lots of double charting....have to do several forms to chart one task. Bogs me down. :typing :crash_com

I was far more on task and caught up with paper charting. I got out of report much quicker and and much less "backed-up" information to chart. We have several mobile "COWs" and one computer at each nurses desk, but good luck trying to get to one..and if you start charting at one and have to walk away...kiss it goodbye, because someone's going to come and log you out...and inevitably, click "No" when it asks if you want to sign your documentation. :banghead:

Now they've added bar-code scanning drug admin system. I'm even more behind now....between getting the darn thing to work, getting the barcode to scan...getting the results to sign. We're going to physician order entry this summer and that should be one heck of a fun time as well :uhoh21:

One of the hospitals here is going to Epic and I hear it is also a devil.

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