Computerized graphic for vital signs.

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Specializes in Almost everywhere.

We double chart vital signs at our facility. We have to do it because many of the docs wish to see the trends which to them is on the paper form where you put a dot for the temp a dot for the pulse and connect the dots with a line. Then we also have to enter the vitals in the computer which to many of us is just wasting time and :trout:.

My question is does anyone know of or use at their facility a computer program that would show the trend like the connect the dot thing we have only on paper? Double charting bites!!!! :madface:

Our facility claims we can't find a program like that and that they have looked. They also say someday we will do it only in the computer which is what we were to be doing in the first place until a couple docs whined about it.

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Our facility claims we can't find a program like that and that they have looked.

They're either lying or they haven't looked hard enough. Where I worked before traveling, we'd had computer charting since the early 90's. Two different systems, and both had this capability. Since I started traveling, every place I've worked that has had computer charting also has had the capability to display and print graphic VS info.
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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

If you have Microsoft Office on your computers, you can do this in Excel very easily. Then you can print out the vitals with the graphs.

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Specializes in Almost everywhere.

Thank-you for your replies Emmanuel and Baptized. I appreciate your input. I figured that there has to be programs somewhere and yes there is Excel. It is just a pain to have to chart v/s and I&O in 2 places just to please some people and the thing about it is when you get real busy, which is almost always, you may very well forget to do one or the other and then we get lectured about forgetting to chart in both places at staff meetings....arrrrrgh!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in orthopaedics.

Our facility has the computer charting with the option to show the vitals and labs in a trend view. There are programs out there the powers that be would rather give a simple no than invest in the program.

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
Thank-you for your replies Emmanuel and Baptized. I appreciate your input. I figured that there has to be programs somewhere and yes there is Excel. It is just a pain to have to chart v/s and I&O in 2 places just to please some people and the thing about it is when you get real busy, which is almost always, you may very well forget to do one or the other and then we get lectured about forgetting to chart in both places at staff meetings....arrrrrgh!!!!!!!!

Ugh...I am so sorry for you & your co-workers.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Basically the docs have to join the 20th Century and look them up on the computer and use their brain to decide if there's a trend. Sheesh talk about lazy. But that's not your question sorry. But that's how we dealt with it.

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Specializes in Orthosurgery, Rehab, Homecare.

That is silly. There are programs that do it. Our current one is PCIS (patient care information systen)does it, and the one we are switching to does it also (powerchart). Can't the MD's look at a temp and see it's trends? They did go to medical school afterall. It sounds like you are being made to do something, not for patient care standards, but for MD convienence. I'd be inclined to hand 'em a pencil and grid paper and point them to the computer. (Or say that you'd be happy to put them on the paper, but not in the computer.)

Rock the boat sister- something good might come of it.

(Pull the patient satisfaction card- less time charting ='s more time to be with patients ='s better care.)

~Jen

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Specializes in Almost everywhere.
That is silly. There are programs that do it. Our current one is PCIS (patient care information systen)does it, and the one we are switching to does it also (powerchart). Can't the MD's look at a temp and see it's trends? They did go to medical school afterall. It sounds like you are being made to do something, not for patient care standards, but for MD convienence. I'd be inclined to hand 'em a pencil and grid paper and point them to the computer. (Or say that you'd be happy to put them on the paper, but not in the computer.)

Rock the boat sister- something good might come of it.

(Pull the patient satisfaction card- less time charting ='s more time to be with patients ='s better care.)

~Jen

Amen to that sister!!!!!

Thanks for all of the input guys and gals!!!!! :monkeydance::monkeydance::monkeydance:

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