Question

The nursing unit is informed early in the shift that the computers will be unavailable for four hours during the middle of the shift. What will the nurse manager tell the staff to do regarding documentation of patient care during this time period?

A) Make good notes and document care during the next working shift.
B) Anticipate care to be administered during downtime and document before the computers go down.
C) Make notes and document all care as soon as the computers come back up.
D) Use the downtime documentation described in facility policy.

Answer 1

The nurse manager should instruct staff to use the downtime documentation process as described in the facility policy when the computers are unavailable during the shift.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a nurse manager is informed that the computers will be unavailable for four hours during the shift, the most appropriate action to instruct the nursing staff would be to follow Option D: Use the downtime documentation described in facility policy. Each healthcare facility should have a contingency plan for electronic documentation system failures that include manual or offline recording methods. These predetermined procedures are designed to ensure patient care is documented accurately despite technological disruptions.

Following facility policy, the staff should make written notes or use a paper charting system as specified in the protocol to record patient care during the downtime. It is essential that nurses document patient care as close to real-time as possible to maintain accuracy and continuity of care. Once the computer systems are back online, these notes can be entered into the electronic health record promptly in accordance with the facility's recovery procedure.