[Nursing records: conventional versus computerized. Critical care unit]

In these recent years, electronic clinical data systems have been incorporated into the daily nursing work for the use of records in the hospitalization units. Between 2001 and 2002, the computer program that has presently become the work tool in the Critical Unit I was designed. This project aims to know the opinion of the nursing staff on the use of the computerized record versus the previous pen and paper. The surveys designed were filled out by 90.5% of the unit staff and it was found that for nursing group, the computerized record is a better work system than the pen and paper. Further, the computerized record is characterized by being more complete, by making it possible to better gather the work and by adjusting more reliably to the nursing work. In conclusion, we would say that the perception of nursing after the initiation of the clinical record computerized system is that it has improved versus the pen-paper. The perception of the time aimed at filling out the records is greater, although paradoxically, it generates more time for the patient's care according to the staff opinion. Even so, it is considered to be a good work system.