New Electronic Medical Record + Short Staffing = Danger

Published

Specializes in Family Medicine.

When your hospital rolled out a new electronic medical record (EMR), did they overstaff (or at least adequately staff) to help with the transition?

I recently had the pleasure of working short-staffed during the first few days of a new EMR roll out. It was beyond dangerous: critical orders were missed and not one staff nurse received a lunch break.

Just curious how other hospitals handle it. There has got to be a better, more seamless, way.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Surgical, quality,management.

We are planning to roll out in May. All annual leave has been denied, extra staffing strategies are being discussed now....part timers picking up extras, those on unpaid maternity leave coming back for "keeping in touch days" or returning on casual contracts.

Each area will have superusers who will be supernummary to staffing.

Mind you, I am in a country with ratios, proper annual leave and maternity leave entitlements.....

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in BMT.

Coming from someone who used to work for an EHR company, most hospitals choose to over staff to ensure that everyone can get experience with the system while help is around. When I would help hospitals go live, I met many nurses who were part time or PRN who said they were all required to work during the first week or so because the hospital wanted everyone to learn the new system at the same time.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Surgical, Home Infusions, HVU, PCU, Neuro.

When we went live with computer charting, from paper, we had super users available, only had 2-3 patients at first and employees of the program company that came around and checked on everyone. The doctors also had extra support staff on their side that assisted with their layout and questions. The facility also provided snack and beverage carts that came around the units, a specific theme each day as well as massage chairs with massage therapists. Dang we was spoiled, needless to say the transition was not stressful at all and your situation sounds like a nightmare and patient safety isn't a priority at all. I hope this is fixed soon for all of you.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Medicine.

Wow, I'm glad to hear it's done differently elsewhere.

Thanks for your replies, everyone. Makes me feel less crazy for being outraged.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It was a cluster for us. We had super users who were out of the numbers, but I don't think we had enough. And we definitely didn't have enough staff. Whether it was a census surge or call-outs or just not enough staff, my first go live day I had 6 patients on a med-surg floor, three were isolations, 4 required insulin coverage (which requires a second nurse to sign off on it - and good luck finding someone available), etc. It was a mess.

Also, the people from the EHR company were on hand, but were largely useless. I mean, I think they knew the program, but they were not nurses, and they often didn't know where to find the information we needed. Unless you're a nurse, it's hard to really understand what a nurse needs to be able to find quickly, and so many of the reps would just take my computer and try to click around in a vain attempt to locate things.

On top of that, there was an issue with both the MAR and the discharge planning. So for several days we did all paper MAR (which was super fun because it meant we also had to pull everything from the med select on override), and for a few weeks, all our discharges were done on paper.

No, it wasn't safe. No, we didn't get breaks. Yes, we were all there way past our shifts trying to finish our charting.

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Medicine.
19 hours ago, turtlesRcool said:

It was a cluster for us. We had super users who were out of the numbers, but I don't think we had enough. And we definitely didn't have enough staff. Whether it was a census surge or call-outs or just not enough staff, my first go live day I had 6 patients on a med-surg floor, three were isolations, 4 required insulin coverage (which requires a second nurse to sign off on it - and good luck finding someone available), etc. It was a mess.

Also, the people from the EHR company were on hand, but were largely useless. I mean, I think they knew the program, but they were not nurses, and they often didn't know where to find the information we needed. Unless you're a nurse, it's hard to really understand what a nurse needs to be able to find quickly, and so many of the reps would just take my computer and try to click around in a vain attempt to locate things.

On top of that, there was an issue with both the MAR and the discharge planning. So for several days we did all paper MAR (which was super fun because it meant we also had to pull everything from the med select on override), and for a few weeks, all our discharges were done on paper.

No, it wasn't safe. No, we didn't get breaks. Yes, we were all there way past our shifts trying to finish our charting.

Sounds very similar to my experience with "go live". I had 6 patients on the first day, had to give blood, discharge a few patients, etc.

My employer contracted some "superusers" from a company that was familiar with the new EMR but not from the EMR company itself. They were not nurses and did not know how to answer the majority of my questions.

What the heck. Ugh.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion