Kathleen Tramel

The Chart

Nurses feel that their career is a calling, and their top priority is patient care. However, many nurses leave the field due to burnout. This can impact patient outcomes, the nurse’s well-being, as well as hospital costs. There are a number of factors that contribute to nurse burnout, one of which is electronic health records. Charting systems currently in use have cluttered, cumbersome interfaces. Nurses spend up to ⅓ of their day on technology that is made to prioritize billing and not patient care. The Chart aims to prevent burnout by reducing the time nurses spend charting.

The Chart adjusts to the context of its user, and allows them to add or remove features as necessary. Because the app is made for tablets, it can also live within the space where patient care is performed. Nurses can chart in real time at the bedside. To reduce time spent charting further, The Chart has a strong visual cues to keep pertinent or urgent information in view. This is accomplished with color coded messaging, typographic hierarchy, and by listing identifying patient info on every page.

Nurses spend their time caring for others and their tools should be suited to their tasks. Taking a cue from them, The Chart is built on empathy. By making nurses the focus, The Chart improves patient outcomes, nurse workloads, and ultimately hospital costs.