The Multipatient Task List
First Revision 6/00
Second Revision 1/01
The Center for Education and Development
Table of Contents
Using This Manual 2
The Multipatient Task List 3
Using the Task List 4
The Multipatient Task List 5
The Multipatient Task List Column Headings 6
Task List Properties: The Patient List 8
Task List Properties: Time Frames 10
Charting Tasks: Chart Done 11
Charting Tasks: Chart Done (Date/Time) 12
Charting Tasks: Chart Not Done 13
Charting Tasks: Unchart 14
Charting Tasks: PRN Tasks 15
Viewing Order Information 16
Task List Display Settings 17
Opening a Patient’s Chart Using the Navigator 18
The Charge Viewer 19
Using This Manual
· All icon names, button names, and menu choices used in this manual will appear in bold. Whenever you see a word or phrase in bold, that word or phrase refers to something you can click on.
· All field names and window names are in italics. Whenever you see a word or phrase in italics, that word or phrase refers to something that you will be able to locate on your computer screen.
· All key names are in square brackets [ ]. Whenever you see a letter or word in square brackets, that letter or word refers to a key on your keyboard that you need to press.
· All user-entered variables are in quotes. Whenever you see a word or phrase in quotes, you will need to type that word or phrase into the appropriate field.
1
The Multipatient Task List
The Multipatient Task List
Using the Task List
As orders are placed in the patient’s chart, tasks are created. Tasks are targeted at specific departments and are processed by staff with the appropriate access within those departments. Tasks are first grouped by department and appear on the Multipatient Task List tab within the Organizer window. Subsequently, the Patient Chart window will display departmental tasks on the Task List tab.
Your security level will give you access to view and chart on task lists for your department. You will not be able to view or chart on task lists for other departments without additional security clearance.
When an order generates a task, the order remains in an “Ordered” state until it is charted. Charting may be as simple as clicking the task, or as complex as completing a form that is generated from the task. After charting, the status of the order will change to “Complete” if the task was charted as complete.
NOTE: Not all orders will generate a task, and “Complete” doesn’t always mean that a task was done. Some orders simply generate a charge to the patient account.
The Multipatient Task List
Additional PowerChart Tool Bar Icons within the Multipatient Task List
Chart Done Chart Details
Chart Not Done Unchart
Quick Chart Reschedule
The Multipatient Task List is divided into two tabs: Scheduled Patient Care, and All PRN Tasks.
The Scheduled Patient Care tab contains all tasks that are ordered with a frequency of “once” or greater. The All PRN Tasks tab contains tasks that have been indicated as PRN with the PRN indicator. (See Creating New Orders, page 17 for more information about the PRN indicator.)
The Multipatient Task List Column Headings
As with most column headings within PowerChart, the Task List column headings are clickable and can be used to sort the information (alphabetically or numerically) within the list.
Note: Column headings will appear in the order listed below as default – future PowerChart updates will include options to customize column layout.
1. The Navigator: Displays a list of patient names. Patients with pending or overdue tasks will appear highlighted (overdue appears highlighted red). Clicking on the patient name within the Navigator will bring that patient’s tasks to the top of the list. Similar to results within the Flowsheet, checking or unchecking the boxes next to the patient name will unhide or hide that patient’s tasks from the list.
2.
The TAG (Task at a Glance) Bar: Displays the status of the task using colored blocks and symbols. The Task-at-a-Glance Legend can be accessed from the Options menu above the PowerChart Tool Bar. (See below.)
3. The Order Comment Column: Displays a comment indicator for any task with an associated comment. Clicking on the indicator will display the comments associated with the task. The comment indicator may be turned off using the Options menu.
4. Location/Room/Bed: Displays the patient location according to unit and room number.
5. Name: Displays the patient’s name.
6. Task Status: Indicates the current status of the task (The description here will match the symbol in the TAG column).
7. Task Description: The text description of the procedure or test that has been ordered.
8. Scheduled Date and Time: Indicates on what date and time the task is due to be completed.
9. Order Details: All of the details of a task, such as frequency, priority, medications, etc.
10. Financial Number: The financial number/visit number to which the task has been associated. (For more information about financial/visit numbers, see PowerChart Basics for Clinical Users, page 16.)
Task List Properties: The Patient List
Your access level may provide you with a “Departmental View” task list. This list allows you to view all departmental tasks for all locations. To view tasks for a specific location, you will need to customize the patient view to display that location’s task list.
To display tasks by location, you must first create a patient list for each location you wish to access. See PowerChart Basics for Clinical Users, pages 7-8 for instructions.
To display tasks by location:
1.
From the Multipatient Task List tab, right click on the text on the left side of the information bar. (The text will read “XXXXX, Assigned Tasks.”)
2. Click on the Customize Patient View… button that appears.
The Task List Properties window opens to display the Patient List tab.
3. Highlight the desired location or patient list by clicking on it.
NOTE: The “Choose a Patient List” box should be checked.
4. Click OK. (To display the selected location’s task list each time you open PowerChart, click Save, and then OK.)
The task list for the selected location will display.
Task List Properties: Time Frames
If you work a particular shift on a regular basis, you may want to set your task list to display only those tasks that are due within your shift.
To display tasks by time frame:
1. From the Multipatient Task List tab, right click on the text on the right side of the information bar.
2. Click on the Change Time Frame Criteria… button that appears.
The Task List Properties window opens to display the Time Frames tab.
3. Choose one of the following by clicking the circle next to the text:
Defined Time Frame: Allows you to view tasks by either the previous, current, or next shift (day, night, or single day).
Hour Interval: Allows you to view tasks by the hour they are due.
Generic Time Frame: Allows you to view tasks by manually entering the date and time intervals.
4. Click OK. (To display the selected location’s task list each time you open PowerChart, click Save, and then OK.)
The task list will refresh according to the time frame specified.
Charting Tasks: Chart Done
Chart Done is used when a task has been performed at the scheduled date and time. Chart Done will change the status of a task from pending or overdue to complete, and submit any associated charges to the charge viewer.
To chart a task using Chart Done:
1. Click on the pending or overdue symbol in the TAG column next to the task.
OR
1. Click on any pending or overdue task to highlight it. (You may choose more than one.)
2. Right click on the highlighted task to display the task list menu.
3. Click on Chart Done.
OR
1. Click on any pending or overdue task to highlight it. (You may choose more than one.)
2. Click on the Chart Done icon located on the PowerChart Tool Bar.
The task will refresh with a status of complete.
Charting Tasks: Chart Done (Date/Time)
Chart Done (Date/Time) is used when a task has been performed at a date or time other than the scheduled date and time. Chart Done (Date/Time) will change the status of a task from pending or overdue to complete, and submit any associated charges to the charge viewer.
To chart a task using Chart Done (Date/Time):
1. Click on any pending or overdue task to highlight it. (You may choose more than one.)
2. Right click on the highlighted task to display the task list menu.
3. Click on Chart Done (Date/Time)…
The Chart Done (Date/Time) window will appear.
4. Enter the date and time that the task was performed and click OK. (If you have selected multiple orders, a Chart Done (Date/Time) window will appear for each order you have selected.)
The task will refresh with a status of complete.
Charting Tasks: Chart Not Done
Chart Not Done is used when a task has not been performed. Chart Not Done will change the status of a task from pending or overdue to complete, and requires a reason to be entered. No charges are submitted to the charge viewer.
To chart a task using Chart Not Done:
1. Click on any pending or overdue task to highlight it. (You may choose more than one.)
2. Right click on the highlighted task to display the task list menu.
3. Click on Chart Not Done…
The Chart Not Done window will appear.
OR
1. Click on any pending or overdue task to highlight it. (You may choose more than one.)
2. Click on the Chart Not Done icon located on the PowerChart Tool Bar.
The Chart Not Done window will appear.
Use the drop-down menu to select a Reason Not Done. Then click in the Comment field to enter any comments. Click on the Sign Form icon in the upper left corner of the window to complete the process. (If you have selected multiple orders, a Chart Not Done window will appear for each order you have selected.)
The task will refresh with a status of complete.
Charting Tasks: Unchart
Unchart is used when a task has been charted incorrectly. Unchart will change the status of a task from complete to pending. If the task is uncharted on the same day before 11:30 p.m., uncharting will cancel any charges posted in the charge viewer. Unchart will not issue a credit if the charge has already been processed by the nightly upload. By default, completed tasks will disappear from the task list when the refresh button is clicked. To view these tasks, you must change the Task Display properties. Please see page 69 for instructions.
To Unchart a task that has been charted:
1. Click on any charted (done or not done) task to highlight it.
2. Right click on the highlighted task to display the task list menu.
3. Click on Unchart.
The Unchart window will appear.
OR
1. Click on any charted (done or not done) task to highlight it.
2. Click on the Unchart icon located on the PowerChart Tool Bar.
The Unchart window will appear.
Click in the Comment field to enter an unchart reason, then click on the Sign Form icon in the upper left corner of the window to complete the process.
The task will refresh with a status of pending.
Charting Tasks: PRN Tasks
PRN Tasks are listed under the All PRN Tasks tab of the Multipatient Task List. A PRN task will always display with a status of pending. All PRN tasks should be charted as Chart Done (Date/Time) to accurately record the time of the PRN task. Since PRN tasks are not scheduled, it is not necessary to Chart Not Done a PRN task.
It is possible to Unchart a PRN task as well. Simply change the Task List Display settings to view completed tasks (See page 17).
To chart a PRN Task:
1. Click on the All PRN Tasks tab to display the task list.
2. Follow the instructions on page 12, Charting Tasks: Chart Done (Date/Time) to chart the task.
NOTE: Until the original order is discontinued, PowerChart will always keep a pending PRN task on the task list. A new completed PRN task is created each time you chart using the pending PRN task. If the PRN Indicator was not set to Yes during order entry, the task will appear highlighted YELLOW on both the All PRN Tasks and Scheduled Patient Care lists. Prior to charting the order, modify the order by setting the PRN Indicator to YES. The order will then appear correctly on the All PRN Tasks tab only.
Viewing Order Information
To view the order information associated with a task:
1. Click on the desired task to highlight it.
2. Right-click on the order to display the Task List menu.
3. Click on Order Info…
The Order Information window will display. (See Working With Existing Orders in PowerChart, pages 8-9 for more details about viewing order information.)
Task List Display Settings
By default, only pending and overdue tasks appear on the Multipatient Task List. The Task List Display Settings must be changed to view completed, canceled, and discontinued tasks as well.
Note: It is possible to Chart Done and Chart Done (Date/Time) tasks that have been canceled or discontinued.
To change the Task List Display Settings:
1. From the Options menu of the Organizer window, select Task Display…
The Viewing: Scheduled Patient Care window will appear.
2. In the Status section, click the checkbox next to each status that you would like to view.
3. Click OK. (To use these settings each time you open PowerChart, click Save, and then OK.)
The Multipatient Task list will refresh according to the settings you have chosen.
Opening a Patient’s Chart Using the Navigator
The Navigator of the Multipatient Task List can be used to open a selected patient’s chart to a specific chart tab. This saves time otherwise spent accessing the Organizer window and searching for the selected patient.
To open a chart using the Navigator:
1.
Right-click on the patient’s name within the Navigator to display a menu.
2.
Place the cursor over Open Patient Chart to display the submenu.
3. Click on the chart tab you would like to view.
The selected patient’s chart will open in a new window to the selected tab.
The Charge Viewer
Charge information associated with a completed task (or entire chart) may be viewed using the Charge Viewer. Depending upon your security level, your access within the charge viewer may be limited.
To access the Charge Viewer: