promoting use of computer system

[stumpy1]

I am currently employed teaching use of the computer and moving forward towards total documentation in the computer from paper. One half of our hospital has already been documenting the majority of patient care on the computer. Those departments love using the system. We are meeting resistence from the higher acuity areas from nursing staff that are not effectively documenting in the computer. They document the majority of care on paper. I understand their resistence yet know in the long run, they will appreciate the changes. It's as if I am trying to get someone to eat spinach because it is good for them.:argue:

Any suggestions for improving compliance? I feel like the "little engine that could stating Yes you can, yes you can." Then staff resumes what they have become used to doing. I am teaching new hires the correct method only to have preceptors undo what I am trying to accomplish. HELP!!!:typing

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

There will always be people who are resistant to change. What you can do (if possible) is either conduct a class where you have sample documenting to show them the advantages or maybe take a few to visit the places that are documenting on the computer. It is a win win to me. Once we switched to the computer, I never looked back. No more sloppy MARs, easier to pick up orders and I can print at the end of the day to see what I may have forgotten.

[SpringerCab]

We have been using computer charting since Feb 2006. As pagandeva2000 said you will always have those people who resist changes. Something that helped us though was for there to be superusers and end users to help with charting. Utilize the other nurses who are already using the system to help with training your other nurses. Good luck.

[Crocuta, RN]

Get buy in from upper management for a total conversion date. Set it a month or two in the future, make sure everyone knows the date, hold lots of classes, get those superusers trained and then make sure the paper disappears on the conversion date. I understand the desire to get everyone to like the new system, but it's never going to happen. You'll always have holdouts, but they can't impede progress forever, and a dual system is a record keeping nightmare.

[RNperdiem, RN]

Unless the paper disappears completely, people will continue with what is most comfortable.

Don't expect to sell everyone on the computer system because you can't. Experienced nurses tend to be sceptics about change. Change is rarely made where the nurses benefit.

If, as a previous poster mentioned, a well organized computer rollout is done with everyone taking the class on computers, tech support available and superusers on every shift, and eventually people accept the change for better or worse. A few of the sceptics may even like computers after all.

[AlabamaBelle]

We are in the process of going to computerized charting/documentation. We are currently "training the trainer" - I am one of a group of approximately 50-100. We will also have superusers. We have a set in stone date for going live with the system. I anticipate resistance from all levels of staff, but it is what it is.

[Sunflowerinsc, ADN, RN]

Unless the paper disappears completely, people will continue with what is most comfortable.

Don't expect to sell everyone on the computer system because you can't. Experienced nurses tend to be sceptics about change. Change is rarely made where the nurses benefit.

If, as a previous poster mentioned, a well organized computer rollout is done with everyone taking the class on computers, tech support available and superusers on every shift, and eventually people accept the change for better or worse. A few of the sceptics may even like computers after all.

I am one of those old experienced nurses who may not like every change that comes down the pike but I would never want to go back to pen and paper to chart,NEVER!!

We have had computer charting for about 10 years. There were a couple of nurses and WC that I knew about that quit when they heard about computer's coming to the hospital. They should have stuck around and found out what a time saver it can be.

There have been many updates over the years and now nearly everything is computer charted.

To start ,and now at every update we all had to go to classes to learn how to use the computer and then there was a set time to start . All paper forms were GONE on that day,there was no going back to paper. We always had ample time to have iservices for each step. And then trainers on the floor as we started each step. :redbeathe

[nickola]

The problem I've seen w/computerized charting in critical care areas is that it takes time away from patient care. If the facility has enough staff to do BOTH charting & good patient care it works well. However, more often than not people are late doing "delayed entries" b/c it is difficult to attend to your patient- AND chart at the same time.

[ilstu99]

I agree with the other folks. The alternatives to the new system need to go away completely. When I think about the 10 page fold-out flow sheets now...I break out in hives. LOL. It took some of our docs a while to get with the program, but now everyone is online.

Believe in what you're doing! And it doesn't hurt to offer free food! A LOT of free food!