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From a hush that’s conducive to recovery to a sense of urgency when patients need it most, Eric Starr says the Intensive Care Unit at St. Paul’s Hospital is never the same from day to day.
Eric, a registered nurse, has worked at St. Paul’s for over nine years. He chose St. Paul’s for its staff, patients and culture of caring.
Since April 2014, he has been working on the CST project.
“My hope is for CST to be a foundation for continued collaboration between the three Health Organizations to build best practice initiatives and a new clinical information system that will really support good quality, safe patient care,” he says.
When asked if he can see the difference CST will make in his job, Eric doesn’t miss a beat before responding, “Absolutely.”
Starting with handover at the beginning of each shift, there will be a more structured approach and a consistent communication tool that will span the three Health Organizations. When he does a patient assessment, he will have consistent documentation, so more measurable data can be pulled from it.
Eric explains that the new clinical information system will streamline patient data and update it in real time. It will also include safeguards that will help prevent critical errors, including medication errors. With more consistent documentation, Eric will also be able to see the charting trail, especially when patients move between hospitals.
“Documentation will be available to everyone taking care of the patient. They won’t be asking, ‘Who’s got the chart?’” says Eric. “It will also reduce the repetitive questions we often ask patients.”
If you have questions or feedback, please email info@CSTproject.ca.
