Electronic vs. Paper Charting ~ Which do you like better?

Nurses General Nursing

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Are most hospitals/clinics using electronic charting? Which do you like better?:thankya:

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

I prefer paper charting -- hands down! Many hospitals are switching over to computer charting, and it is sooooooo time consuming. Some nurses like it...some don't. I don't. :uhoh3:

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Specializes in ER.

The technology is not fast enough for effective electronic charting. At least not at my hospital. I would like speech recognition.

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Specializes in tele, stepdown/PCU, med/surg.

I've seen incredibly user friendly computerized chart systems and I've seen convoluted and dangerous computerized chart systems. I like computer charting on everything except MARS. I like paper MARS.

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I like computer charting-it is much easier once you get used to it, also much faster and more thourough than our paper charts. Plus, you don't have to decipher your coworkers handwriting! :p

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Electronic medical records also streamline review processes and make things much easier for the folks responsible for monitoring quality, outcomes and individial patient financials. The report-writing capabilties of some of the computerized systems I've seen, including the one my facility is in the process of implementing, are wonderful and such a time saver on the "back-end" where aggregate information regarding different types of hospitalizations has to be organized and turned into something meaningful for hospital leadership and governance.

From the perspective of a person that's been on the management and administrative side of things for awhile, the transitional problems that bedside staff have with converting to the electronic format are well-worth the time and effort saved once the record is complete and has to undergo multiple reviews and/or be turned into useful operational information.

For staff at the bedside and those responsible for registration and admitting and all the other "busy, busy stuff", it's simply a matter of getting accustomed to working with something new, creating new habits and becoming comfortable with the change.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I have to say Meditech is one of the most dangerous and horrendously workload-increasing, nurse UN-friendly systems there is out there. That any place uses 1985 technology for 2005 charting in this litigious medical/nursing environment just blows my mind and angers me. I know a few people close to quitting over this one---and it's horrible EMAR system.

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I absolutely love electronic charting. I think there are different versions of Meditech out there. When I was in clinicals I learned on a horrible version of Meditech. I thought it was very confusing and not user friendly. The version I worked with at the hospital I went to work for was wonderful. I really enjoyed it and felt my charting was very thorough.

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Anyone use the Per Se system?

When my hospital was looking at puchasing a computerised charitng system, I was the nurse who was chosen to go to Europe and the States (lucky me) to assess the different systems. I saw Per Se in New York and South Carolina (I think... they had Southern accents anyway) and absolutely loved it.

I can only describe it as a 360 degree system... seemed to do everything! Needless to say it was expensive but more crucially at the time, hadn't been introduced in the UK, so my hopsital was nervous about purchasing it because of the potential lack of support.

Someone pleeeeease tell me it is as good as I remember, then I can go to the Directors & tell them they made the wrong choice!

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Specializes in Critical Care Baby!!!!!.
I have to say Meditech is one of the most dangerous and horrendously workload-increasing, nurse UN-friendly systems there is out there. That any place uses 1985 technology for 2005 charting in this litigious medical/nursing environment just blows my mind and angers me. I know a few people close to quitting over this one---and it's horrible EMAR system.

Boy are you RIGHT!!!! I HATE, ABHOR, and DESPISE Meditech! It is horrible. I left a hospital that was using a more updated computer system, and walked into this Meditech thing! I can't stand it! It's a waste of money, time, and resources.

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we recently switched over to electronic charting on my OB floor, and I love it- in most cases, my charting is done much more quickly and efficiently (and certainly neater, I have horrible handwriting!). There's definitely a learning curve though.

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I have to say Meditech is one of the most dangerous and horrendously workload-increasing, nurse UN-friendly systems there is out there. That any place uses 1985 technology for 2005 charting in this litigious medical/nursing environment just blows my mind and angers me. I know a few people close to quitting over this one---and it's horrible EMAR system.

We also "use" Meditech, and I hate it and have thought it to be the most user-unfriendly, stupid program I've ever seen; but since I haven't ever worked with any other electronic charting software I thought they were all like this one. Glad to hear that there are some good programs out there. I will never like this one, or think that it makes sense. I'm sure the hospital got a "good deal" on it.

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