Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #100675

Judith G. Riemer, RN, MS, CNS and Norah E. Savard, RN, BSN. Public Health Nursing Branch, Department of Public Health, County of Riverside Community Health Agency, P.O. Box 7600, Riverside, CA 92513-7600, 951.358.5158, jriemer@co.riverside.ca.us

In 2004, the Public Health Nursing Branch of the County of Riverside Community Health Agency, Department of Public Health in Riverside, California successfully implemented a computerized documentation system based on the Omaha System nursing language, using CHAMP software. Utilization of a computerized means to document and organize clinical data using a standardized well-accepted terminology provides public health nurses and other public health professionals with a powerful tool for the collection, aggregation and analysis of data. It allows accurate measurements of outcomes at the individual, family and community level, facilitating population-based care and evidence based practice. However, even the most positive changes in agency practices frequently cause resistance and frustration at both the staff and supervisory levels. This presentation will describe several useful strategies to facilitate a transition to the use of a standardized nursing language and computerized documentation system in public health nursing programs, including how to identify optimal team members, geographical considerations, the use of pilot projects, the use of training databases and other training tools, the development of guidelines, the setting of reasonable timetables for various stages of implementation, the use of chart audits, and the use of Focus Groups.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify five strategies that can be used to help in the transition to the use of a standardized nursing language and/or computerized documentation system.
• Describe how geographical factors can affect the acceptance and implementation of a new documentation system.
• Identify factors that can sabotage your implementation timetable.
• Describe how and when to utilize a Focus Group during the implementation process.

Keywords: Public Health Nursing,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation