Is anyone using Cerner in their ER?

allnurses Guide · Feb 19, 2014

They didn't buy use the ER suite, just "adapted" the floor stuff. It is continually being "adapted" some more. It is continually a PITA. nuff said.

c.kelly20 · Feb 21, 2014

I just started working in an ED and I am a relatively new nurse. We use Cerner. I'm coming from an outside hospital that used a different system, so Cerner is brand new to me... but it definitely seems very ER and user unfriendly! And I seem to be hearing the same from my fellow nurses.

LakeEmerald · Feb 22, 2014

We do and we've used it for over a year. (One of the first EDs.) It's cumbersome and weird and not at all intuitive. I frequently ask myself, "who came up with THIS?" However, it can be learned and you will get used to it.

The biggest problem for me is that items that should be grouped together for ease of charting are scattered throughout the chart, therefore, multiple clicks in different sections are required, and it isn't at all evident which sections you should go to. When all else fails - freetext!

We used A4 prior to this and we loved it. However, the rest of our hospital was using Cerner and the systems did not communicate. Oh, well. All in the name of progress, I guess.

thelema13 · Feb 22, 2014

We use Cerner, more specifically FirstNet which ports into and works with Powerchart, which is the floor charting program. It could definitely be better, compared to other programs I have used. The most frustrating thing is the monthly downtimes for upgrades, averaging 4-5 hours during night shift.

It frequently slows down, sometimes crashes altogether. I am on the phone with the Help Desk once a week.

JessiekRN · Feb 23, 2014

We switched to Cerner from Edims last summer. I still dislike Cerner intensely. I find it to be anything but straightforward. It is awkward and disorganized. Not only non ER friendly but non nurse friendly! I miss

Edims every time I chart.

EmergencyNrse · Feb 23, 2014

Cerner and Epic... NOT very good programs for our purposes but they are the leading platforms that integrate well with hospital systems. T-system is the Cadillac of ER charting but they (programmers)

were short-sighted in not being able to integrate into existing hospital software programs so it's on the outs...

Sad really but that's our government at work. Thanks Unce Sam for all the headache

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Feb 23, 2014

We use Corner and FirstNet...it's not that bad, but then again this is the only program I have worked with so I have nothing else to compare to.

Jasel, BSN, RN · Feb 25, 2014

Our hospital will be switching to Cerner in later summer or early fall. Based on what I've heard I'm not looking forward to it.

BrnEyedGirl, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN · Apr 17, 2014

We are two weeks in and it really is horrible software for a large Level I Trauma center. I can see where it might be okay in a small ER,.....we have had staff quit over it and are now using paper charts for all critical patients,...Class I Traumas, Acute MI's, CLass I strokes,........it's awful. I miss MedHost

Catch22Personified · Apr 17, 2014

Cerner Firstnet's tracking shell is fine for the ER however it still uses the powerchart base which is pretty bad for a lot of people. As a floor nurse I love powerchart but as an ER nurse the powerchart base is a bit clunky.

But ANYTHING is better than TDS/Paper.

LakeEmerald · Apr 18, 2014

RN Cardiac,

Yes, the assessments are a hot mess for traumas since the important parts like neurovascular status, edema, wounds, musculoskeletal, and hemodynamics are are in completely unrelated tabs instead of Cerner taking the extra step of grouping related concepts together for ease of charting. I hate this about FirstNet! Can't believe you guys went to paper for this. Well, I can.

Our director sends in "work orders" to Cerner regularly to make changes because there always is something that is SO stupid in the system that hasn't been addressed. We get charged every time we do this, we are told. Nice for Cerner, they get to market test the system on us, and charge us for telling them how to make it better. (We were supposedly one of the first EDs to get FirstNet - they should have paid us to use it!)

Maybe, in a few years, due to the massive amount of revisions that Cerner must be making every month, the system will become user friendly. We can hope!