Nursing access to patient Medical records

[LilacRN]

Is there anyone out there that is using the "Meditech" computerized charting system in their hospital? We are getting ready to go live with our nursing documentation system in and I am the team leader to build it at our facility. This means that the record for nursing will be totally electronic. I have been arguing with the "IT" department about the access to the system that nurses have.

Our IT department does not want nurses to have open access to the patient's medical records. They have restricted us to only being able to see the patient's record that is on our unit at the time. So there is no access to review the record for audits, for QI, to solve patient complaints, to observe your staff's charting techniques, or to even correct a mistake to charting.

We don't have the ability to get an old chart up for review before a patient reaches the unit. Every other discipline has open access except nursing.

Is anyone else out there on Meditech and restricted by location?

Very Concerned.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

If the patient has been assigned to your floor you should be able to read the chart. Perhaps they would be happy with a time limit- for example 6 months after the patient has been discharged access would be taken away. That would allow plenty of time for chart reviews.