Computers in Nursing

[Pringle]

Hi there

I am a third year nursing student wondering how registered nurses feel about the use of computers in the workplace. Do you think it hinders or helps your practice? Do you have any confidentiality issues regarding the use of computers in the workplace. I would appreciate any feedback or comments.

Ang:)

[nur20]

When working in facilities ifound that computers slowed me down, i prefer paper also. Entering labs, test results etc.just seems to slow me down and for goodness sake don't let a nurse forget or don't have the time to log in the information, everything and everybody gets in an uproar

[Mariah]

Privacy is a concern and most hospitals and vendors have taken reasonable precautions. This will be standardized when the HIPAA administration simplifications become enforced. HIPAA is a law that was introduced for insurance portability, but part of that law contain rules for the electronic storage, maintainance, and transmission of patient information. Two key parts of this law cover privacy and security. Privacy is one of the largest parts and includes rules on what patient information has to be protected, from who, when, and so on. This would prevent the computer display from being someplace that anyone can see it. Security section talks about making sure the right people have the right access to the system such as logging into the system with your own password. HIPAA has put much of the health care organizations into a panic as it requires developing policies, procedures, training programs, etc and hospitals can be fined for non-compliance. But, it will standardize the protection of patient information. Compliance requirements are being phased over the next few years. Everyone who deals with patient information will comply.

[SKM-NURSIEPOOH, BSN, RN]

Regarding computers in nursing:

I myself enjoy having computers at work for all of the above listed reasons: doctors' handwriting, having access to lab results, ...etc. I only have a problem when where I work (LTC facility), we have "double" charting going on. We're supposed to be going to a paperless system where nursing notes, vitals, lab orders, are done via the computer; however, we still have hard copies of the MARs/TARs, 24 hr reports, recaps, & doctors' coupon orders still being done on paper. No wonder us nurses are ready to pull-out our hair because we're doing double the work.

Then there's the issue when the computer system crashes. We have no access of the prior nurses' notes, vitals, labs, & have to go back to writing notes, recording vitals & labs out by hand in the patients' chart. Then when the system is back-up, we're told to insert the hand-written items into the computers. This blows my mind & is a waste of time. Either go to a complete paperless system altogether with proper back-up designed for crashes, or go back to the paper system. Too much time is spent on recording & re-recording the same information!:zzzzz