AU-RN

I was wondering if there is any way to find out a list of which hospitals use certain computer charting systems? I'm looking for CA hospitals that use EPIC in particular. Or how do you find out which systems hospitals you've worked in the past used? (I didnt think to write them down) You would think there would be an easier way to find out which charting system hospitals use! Thanks if you can help me out.

Since your info isnt made available...all I can say is that you are too sensitive. You cant be thin skinned in nursing....ever had to hold your own with a DR? Being blunt and telling the truth in a situation is more valuable than worrying about whether or not it might hurts someones fragile feelings. Medical professionals not mattter what kind that go to Haiti SHOULD be experienced and skilled...period. I do not live in a lala land....taking care of the sick and dying is a very serious skilled business....

Not being mean...just realistic....sorry but the truth hurts!

Exactly! Thanks for stating this.

Unrealistic......they need TRAINED professionals....it's not your local volunteering group...this is the real deal. They dont need people getting in the way that cant help in the critical time of life or death. Holding hands is NOT gonna cut it....sweet notion but completely ridiculous considering how horrible it is down there.

Any update on what happened with this potential strike? Never heard anything else about it.

I love being a thorn in their side too! Don't get me started on SEIU!!!!!!!!

Yes, you HAVE to be a licensed RN. What good would the inexperienced and unrefined skills of a nursing student benefit the Dr's and other medical staff down there? There are seasoned Dr's and Rn's that are realizing that even they cant handle the situation down there. How would a student help any patients? It's admirable that you want to help but completely naive and unrealistic.

I just received an email forwarded by a trauma surgeon at WVU Med Center, from another trauma surgeon explaining his group's attempt to help. I hope this isn't too long to post- it was very interesting to me: "I believe we went in with a reasonably comprehensive service; we wanted to provide acute trauma care in an orthopedic disaster. Our plan was to be at a hospital where we could utilize our abilities as trauma surgeons treat the acute injuries involved in an orthopaedic disaster. We expected many amputations however came with a philosophy that would reasonably start limb salvage in what we thought was a salvageable limb. David Helfet put a team together which included: 2 orthopaedic trauma surgeons 3 orthopaedic trauma fellows 2 highly skilled anesthiologists 1 general surgery trauma surgeon 2 synthes reps who were also scrub techs 1 trauma nurse practioner to do triage 2 OR nurses Our equipment including a huge amount of anesth medications and equipment, ability to construct 150 ex fix both small and large, OR equipment including scalpels etc, OR soft goods, splint material, OR prep material. We also had a plan of physician and equipment replacemnt that was dynamic where w/i 24hrs we could bring in what was necessary on the Synthes private jet. We thought the plan was a good one. We were incredibly naïve. Disaster management on the ground was nonexistent. The difficulties in getting in despite the intelligence we had from people on the ground and david helfet's high political connections with Partner's in Health as well as the Clintons only portended the difficulties we would have once we arrived. We started out friday morning, got a slot to get in friday that was eventually cancelled when we were on the runway to be rescheduled the next day. We diverted to the DR and planned on arriving in P OP saturday. Once on the ground the hospital we had intelligence that was up and running with 2 OR's General Hospital was included severely in the earthquake and not capable of running functioning OR's as there was no running water and only a limited electrical supply on generator. We quickly took our second option Community Hospital of Haiti. We found approx 750 pt in the hospital upon our initial eval, the hospital had running water, electricity and 2 functional OR's Our naivette did not expect that the 2 anesth machines would not work, there would be 1 cautery for the hospital, autoclave that fit instruments the size of a cigar box, no sterile saline, no functioning fluoro and no local staff only a ragtag group of voluntary health providers who like us had made it there on there own. To summarize we had no clue the medical infrastructure of the country was so poor. As we got up and running in the OR and organized the patients for surgery we communicated our new needs back to Synthes and more supplies were loaded for a second trip - these included battery operated pulse lavage, a huge supply of saline, soft goods in the OR. This plane landed as planned sunday pm, equipment was loaded on a truck and subsequent hijacked between the airport and the hospital. At the hospital we had zero security despite promises form NYPD and NYFD to provide that to us. Our philosophy was to work like this was a marathon run the OR's around the clock with the idea that we would have a defined extraction time of 11pm tues. The plane that extracted us would come in with a new medical staff compliment to replace us. Equipment included urgent things to maximize issues that were nonexistent in the hospital that would enable us to provide better and more efficient care: 2 portable anesth machines 2electrocautery 2 portable monitors for the pacu 2autoclaves Replacement exfix Things that didn't arive with the previous flight That planes slot was cancelled by the military at 6am tues. We also previously had seen daylight in the remaining patients monday night haviving completed approx 100 surgeries. However on tues morning we found a huge # of new patients. The hospital was forced to undergo lockdown closing its gates to the outside and outside crowd becoming angry. We also noted tues morning that many of the patients we were operating on were becoming septic. We finished operating at noon tues, the last surgery our group assisting an obstetrician on a caesarian and resuscitating a baby that was not breathing. We decided as a group the situation for us at the hospital was untenable supplies were running out, team was exhauted, safety a huge concern, and no extraction plan with resupply. We decided to make our way to airport thru the help of a hospital benefactor. Jamaican soldiers with M-16 were necessary to escort us out with our luggage as the crowd outside saw us abandoning the hospital. We made it to airport on back of a pickup track, got onto the tarmac, hailed a commercial plane that carried cargo to montreal and had private jet pick us up there. The issues we were unprepared for and witnessed were 1. The amount of human devastation 2. The complete lack of a medical infrastructure in the country 3. The lack of support of the haitian medical community 4. The complete lack of any organization on the ground. Noone was in charge, we had the first functional up and running hospital in the P OP area yet noone and I me NOONE came to the hospital to assess what we were doing, what we were capable of doing and what we would need, to be more efficient. The fact that the military could not or would not protect the resupply equipment on sunday or let the tues flight come in says it all. 5. Lack of any security at all at the hospital I would take away that disasters like this need organization on a much higher level than we had with the clear involvement and approval of the military from the beginning. Currently there is Noone obviously running the show and care is in chaotic at best. MD's are coming in country with no plan of what the are going to do. Surgeons that expect to just show up and operate are delusional as to what there role would be as without a complement of support staff and supplies they would be of limited or no value. I hope this helps. We all felt as though we abandoned these patients and that country and feel terrible. Our role now being back in NY is to expose the inadequacies of the system to the media in the hopes of effecting a change in this system immediatly. We feel that the only way to really help now is an urgent programtic change and organization in the support of the medical staff on the ground and what is critically needed to expeditiosly bring in. Cherrios on the tarmac are not getting it done on these patients which clearly would be savable if good care could urgently be provided. Please share this email with everyone and anyone you find might help. Good luck Dean

Experience is the most valuable thing any RN could have in Haiti. It is a must.

You MUST be a licensed RN and experience is required. The situation down there is not suitable to those without extensive nursing experience-emotionally, mentally, and physically. It is hell down there and not the place for new nurses. Remember that there are thousands of very experienced RN's that are willing to go......they all would be picked first.

here is the latest from the fastaff website......sounds like they arent going to be sending anyone to haiti fastaff continues to be on "standby" with our contracted agency in texas. deployment is not imminent due to preparations needed for field hospital deployment and the increasing international management of the relief effort. this will be a long-term relief effort, so please provide us your information only if you are interested in possible participation in the future. registering with fastaff does not automatically mean you will be called for the relief effort in haiti, so there is no need to contact fastaff again once you submit the haiti relief form

Im surprised they would take a LVN with 1 yr experience. There are RN's with years and years of experience that even speak Creole/French, prior military, and have lived/worked in Haiti before and even they said they have not been contacted to go.

Your reply is typical of union arrogance....you believe that union members should get special treatment while everyone else gets taxed....again that is why union workers play kissy face with Obama....you pat my back, Ill pat yours.....

Fantastic post!!!! Hear Hear!!!!!! Btw, you forgot to mention how the unions are nothing more than an extension of Obama.....and look what happened tonight in Kennedy country!!!!! People are fed up and unions shouldnt be in the back pocket for politicians or steal union dues to give to liberals who will pat each other on the back. Does no one want to talk about all the back door secret meetings that have been going on in the WH with Obama and the union bosses? They made a deal not to get taxed for the cadillac healthcare...how convenient for them.....they donate millions of $$$$ to Obama and he makes a back door deal with them to give them a tax break. Union members are too brainwashed to see that they are used for their money and nothing more than a political puppet by the Dems.