Fetal Monitoring Software

[Goldenearring1]

Hello all,

I work in a Level One Birth Center. We are currently looking to get centralized monitoring. Can anyone recommend any programs, equipment, etc.

Thanks,

Melissa, RN OB

Ohio

[SmilingBluEyes]

I Have heard lots of positive comments about the QS system. We are finally getting that one ourselves, so they say.

Also OB Trace Vue is supposed to be pretty good---have friends who work with that. I just cannot comment on personal experience. We still use flow sheets and that dinosaur known as Meditech (and the DOS version, to boot).

[SmilingBluEyes]

anyone else?

[HappyNurse2005, RN]

We use QS. This is the only OB unit i've ever worked on, and I've only been here for a month. So, take my opinion for what its worth.

I love QS though. We have the strip stored on there, so you can scroll thru it, looking for a particular time, so you can make a note about something if necessary. (Still prints the strip on paper, too, though). You can click on any point in the strip and there are several options. you can click on very common things done, like "peri care" "betadine prep" "arom" "SVE" "md reviewed strip",(and a gazillion others) so you dont have to type them out. a place to put in the cervical checks, and fluid color, which is then exported to a central "chalkboard" at teh nurses station, so anyone up at the station can see that Jane Doe in room 1 is 4/100/-1, (also shows g's and p's). This is also visible in teh nursery, so if htey see a bunch of 10/100/+2 notes, they know they are about to be busy, too.

blood pressures are automatically placed into the vital signs section.

I just love it, its a really easy system to learn.

It's been at my hospital for not quite 2 years, and they just recently started postpartum QS, too, which is handy, since we are doing that first hour of pp recovery.

[Mississippi_RN]

anyone else?

We use OBIX, which allows for an electronice trace and computer charting, as well as a paper trace. Its a pretty good system, IMO, however, some of the forms, i.e. delivery summary, admits, need to be tweaked slightly. All in all though, you have to get the hang of it, but then you get hooked! It is entirely possible to go back and chart on a patient using the trace. I know a lot of times, when we are WILD, all I have time to do is chart the really, really important stuff, like ROM or complete dilatation, then go back and chart little stuff like routine checks on FHR and contraction pattern. I would like to NOT have to do that but sometimes it happens that way.

[Envy]

I've worked with TraceVue for 7 years. We have computers in each LDR and at the nurses station and in the doctor's lounge. Two years ago we attached the program to the OB's cllinic so that they can see what is going on with their patient's at all times. We are now making it possible for the OB's to dial in from their home computers so see what is going on with their patients. Trace Vue is really easy to chart on--very user friendly. Plan on putting the system into our outreach area and will add the prenatal program to it, so that we can access a patient's prenatal record.

[flytern]

Have been using OBIX system for about 6 years. Works fairly well. Our b/p machines aren't interfaced w/it. BP's show up on EFM strips, but don't get to OBIX unless you chart them. We have bedside charting capability, along with pods in the hallway to chart on (so you're not always in the patients room). It does make it easier if you're taking care of more than one labor patient. You can call up strip for patient #2 in patient#1 room. Also, other people can watch your strips and hopefully help if having decels.....

It can be tweaked if you work with the company. You can customize it to things you use more often, certain drugs, proceedures....

:balloons:

[wubbakat]

We are a level 1 hospital, we've had OB Trace Vue for a little over a year now, Love It!, quick and easy, allows for more patient care instead of all the time charting. We have upgraded this year, and I have been fortunate enough to be a part of designing our new charting, not only are we using it for L&D, now in Newborn nursery and post partum, and our couplet unit. The "go live" time for the expanded charting is in February, am very excited. The rest of the hospital uses meditech, which is really not user friendly. Granted, we will be using 2 charting systems, but we have been able to use a virtual printer to place our "made" forms from OB Trace Vue, to place the assessments and charted care into the Meditech system. It has really been interesting developing the upgraded OB Trace Vue.

[babyktchr, BSN, RN]

We just got OBIX and I love the company and its product. I am working like mad to buy the rest of the package. Right now we have surveillance and strip annotation. You can get better customer service in my opinion, and they will customize.

[jenrninmi, MSN, RN]

We use OB Trace Vue where I work and we like it.

[tntrn, ASN, RN]

Watch Child: I would throw it out the window if I could:banghead:

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

Ugh, the hospital where I had my son used Watch Child and it sounded like everybody there hated it too.

Where I am L&D just recently got OBIX, which everybody seems to like now that they're used to it. NBN & mother/baby are still in the stone age using paper. But we do have the OBIX screen on the floor and in the NBN so we can at least know if we're about to get slammed.