Challenge and Mastery: Computerized Nursing Documentation makes its entrance into Johannes Hospiz

A team meeting in 2015 made it clear: Even we must keep up with progress and adjust our nursing documentation. When asking for the right moment in time we quickly agreed: “If not now, when else?” We are not getting younger after all. After two years of planning and preparation the go-ahead was given in January 2017 for the change from paper based to computerized nursing documentation.

With a great deal of curiosity and even more uneasiness as to what was in store for us we sat in our conference room in front of our laptops. Pricking up our ears we listened to that patient man who was to fill our heads with all that stuff. No question was left unanswered, even if it was asked for the fifth time.

After two days bristling with information and exercises, questions and answers, trial and error, our heads started spinning. And then, the next morning, the paper based documentation was a matter of the past. Instead of pencil and paper there were now keyboard and monitor. Looking at the screen while feeding the data, the colleagues saw many question marks: Where must I put this in? How does it work? Can anybody help me? Has anybody an idea? There was only one question that was no longer heard: “Can anybody read that?”

From time to time desperation prevailed. We tore our hair. Then again, we took it in good humor. The list of questions was extensive and a regular exchange necessary. So we met in small groups to work on these questions. We tried to find solutions to every problem. Then we discussed them with the whole team on our official meetings and agreed upon a final solution. In this way we acquired more and more competence in dealing with the new medium.

In our everyday work it happened again and again that someone was around who knew all about a special aspect. So we could always help and support one another. After only four month, the team has learned to use the new documentation in a skilled and most natural way.

We are proud of having mastered this challenge in such a supreme way.

 

Photo: Astrid Hückelheim, head of nursing, deputy director of the hospice, nurse specialist for palliative care; Sigrid Weidmann, nurse specialist for palliative care