Introduction and IT in my current clinical setting

Hello Nursing 6004 classmates! My name is Leslie Rasch. I live in Leamington, Utah. I am married and have four sons. I work at Intermountain Power Service Corporation as a Registered Nurse. My specialty is Occupational Health. As a graduate nurse I feel I need to improve my knowledge about information management so that I can transition into the role of Family Nurse Practitioner more proficiently and effectively. I am the only health care professional where I work and it is often difficult to stay on top of new technologies. Since I do not work in a traditional setting, I rely heavily upon my own skill and in the relationships I have built with outside health care providers when making referrals. I am hoping to change our current clinic into a primary care facility. I can see that I will need to embrace the use of information systems and technology resources to be able to provide quality care and make administrative decisions.
As far as the structured documentation that I use at work, I am in charge of all documentation for about 500 employees. This is done by old fashioned charting (SOAPIE notes) by hand. I do have two computerized programs that I use in testing employees hearing and pulmonary function. We do have our own "social network" where I work. I have tried to get my company to consider computerized charting, but so far they have not been convinced. I hope that as I learn more about IT I can educate myself, as well as my supervisors, to the benefits it could bring to our clinic.

Arrival

Hello! I have finally arrive! Another first for me! I am now the proud, yet timid, owner of my own blog site. I don't know how I have live for half a century and not partaken of this technological treat! But here I am finally, and it is a good time of day right now because I am nearly caught up with my NURS 6004 assignments. I know most of the rest of my classmates are probably light-years ahead, but I am just so thankful to finally find a server (Verizon) so that I can view the Polycom classes while sitting here in little old Leamington, Utah, population 200 souls. Leamington is the definition of rural and we are on the edge of outer darkness when it comes to technology. We have no businesses except for the post office ,which is only open from 10 am to 12am. There isn't a stop light in town, and even though the speed limit through town is 45 mph, most have left town before they slow down. Tonight I am being serenaded by my neighbor's cows who are waiting for dinner very noisily. Enough of my ruralness. It is good to have this blog set up and I will enjoy seeing how it grows and develops (that sounds like a nurse doesn't it). Anyway, I also look forward to seeing my classmates blogs and discovery the advantages of having a bolg. Thanks for looking in, Leslie Rasch