Preface:  In U.S. nursing facilities, there exists a need to have speedy management of patient hydration, weight and food consumption data. This need is emphasized by surveyors requesting back-up data on patient care after a sentinel event has occurred. Dietary Directors and Directors of Nursing are being asked to produce food consumption, weight differential, and hydration records on persons having had decubitus ulcers, bowel impactions, and other sentinel events. The requests are based upon MDS information previously submitted to State agencies.  VDCS reports 'same-day' information which is actionable. The performance bar has just been raised.  Once facilities experience chart ready hydration graphs printed for all at risk patients and weight differential reports which signal weight gains or losses outside of clinical norms, there will be no turning back.  Consumers, surveyors and clinicians alike will expect the new standards of excellence provided by the VDCS tools. We will first discuss Percent of Meal Consumed Reports, followed by hydration reports, and finally, weight differential reporting will be presented. 

Percent of Meal Consumed Reports:   View.

Microsoft Access 2003/XP® templates bring a wealth of reporting capabilities to your facility. The basic Access® report is the 'Single Patient Percent of Meals Consumed Report'. The NurseWand and LaserLite scanners used by your dietary aide or nurse aide, time-and-date stamp the meal description [Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks], and a value equaling the percentage of meal consumed. (See Dietary Card)

Patient Hydration Chart and Graph:    View  (See c:\progra~1\adobe\photoshop5.5\hydrcht1.bmp)

Dietary directors evaluate each patient entering a nursing home. They understand the value of hydrating each resident to a level which facilitates the best skin tone and blood volume. The hydration level which promotes these best conditions is known as the 'Target Hydration Level', (THL).   As facilities gather hydration data over time, the VDCS aggregates these fluid volumes and then compares a day's worth of fluid to the target level. Daily and multi-daily hydration comparison reports are available for all residents for whom data is being collected.  The addition of a patient graph to a hydration report is only available on a single patient query. For facilities with personnel trained in the use of Microsoft Access®, there are unlimited queries and reports available from this data. Untrained personnel can easily learn the basics to generate essential reports.

Weight Differential Reports:

Using the NurseWand, care-givers scan the Patient Weight bar code. They then key enter the patient weight as a decimal fraction (i.e., 188.50 lbs.).  Each weight entry is stamped with a time and date. Over time, the differences in patient weight as expressed as a percentage of loss or gain become significant to clinicians.  Using Access®, we are able to quickly generate Weight Differential Reports.  The actual number of days between weightings and a percentage difference from an original date of weighting are expressed in the report.  Those patients exceeding a given percent weight loss are easily identified.    

On-Line Training Available:

Using the Internet, you are invited to participate in single Webinars for personalized training sessions. You are interactive with the presenter, ask questions, and then you both solve the problem or questions.  Training in Access is available.