Introduction
Introduction to Vitals Lite

The Vitals application is designed to collect the vital signs and measurements that are associated with a patient's hospital stay or outpatient clinic visit, and store the data in the patient's electronic medical record.  Data can be accessed by several VistA (Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture) applications that interface with the Vitals/Measurements application, such as CPRS, Health Summary, and Pharmacy.

The Vitals Lite module is available through CPRS and is used to enter vitals data, view allergies, and mark incorrect vitals as entered in error.

To open Vitals Lite from the CPRS v26 cover sheet:

Click any item inside the Vitals section of the CPRS Cover Sheet to open Vitals Lite. The Vitals Lite window provides a limited set of Vitals features to CPRS users, and its functionality is supplied by a DLL (Dynamic Link Library) from the Vitals application.

See Appendix C in the Vitals User Manual for more information about Vitals Lite and its features.  You can view or download the User Manual from the VistA Documentation Library (VDL) at http://www.domain/vdl/application.asp?appID=107

From the main Vitals Lite window, you can:

Enter vitals data

Mark vitals as entered in error

View vitals data on a graph and grid

View a text version of the vitals data grid

View a text version of the vitals graph

Print the vitals data graph

Set graph options

View patient demographic information

View allergies

If you have access to the CPRS Encounter button, you can:

Enter vitals data through the Notes tab


Getting Help

You are currently viewing the online Help file.

To see a list of all available Help topics, click the Help Topics button (Alt + T). In the Help Topics popup window, you can use the Index or Find features to search for different topics about Vitals Lite and how to use it.

A list of Access Keys and Shortcut Keys is available here.

For additional information on the Vitals application, select Help | Vitals Web Page from the main Vitals Lite window.

You can also view or download a copy of the User Manual from the VistA Documentation Library (VDL) at http://www.domain/vdl/application.asp?appID=107


Enter Vitals Data
Entering Vitals Data

This procedure will help you enter a patient’s vitals from the Vitals Lite window. You can enter vitals for more than one date or time in a single session.

To enter vitals:

1	In the Vitals Lite window, click the Enter Vitals button above the graph.  The Hospital Location Selector opens. Note: if a hospital location is already associated with this patient, you will skip to step 3.

2	Click one of the following three tabs to select a location:

The Appointments tab lists all appointments for this patient for the last year. Click an appointment to select that clinic location.

The Admissions tab lists all existing admissions for this patient. Click an admission to select that hospital location.

The Name tab allows you to search for all available hospital locations. Enter the first few letters of the location name to open a list of locations, then click one to select it.

3	The Enter Vitals window opens, displaying the selected patient’s Name, SSN, and DOB at the top of the window, along with the selected Hospital Location and current Date/Time. To use a different location, date/time, or template for this set of vitals:

Click the Read Monitor button to retrieve vital sign readings from a vital sign monitor (VSM) connected to the workstation.

Click the Date/Time button to select a different date or different time.

Click the Hospital Location button to select a different location.

Click the Exp. View button to display or hide the Templates panel. To select a template, click any template name in the list. If no template has been selected, the default System template will be used.

You can also display or hide the latest vitals on file for this patient by clicking the Latest V. button. The vitals data will be shown at the bottom of the Enter Vitals window.

4	Type a value for each vital sign or measurement, then press Enter to move to the next field. If you would like to select a different qualifier for a vital sign, click the down-arrow button to display a list of its qualifiers.

To enter a non-numeric value for a particular vital sign or measurement, use one of these options.

5	Click Save. To enter additional vitals for this patient, repeat steps 4–6 using a different date, time, and/or location.

To discard the vitals you have entered, click Cancel. You will be prompted to confirm the cancellation.

When you are finished entering vitals for this patient, click Save and Exit. The Enter Vitals window closes.

Also see:

Viewing Vitals Data

Marking Vitals as Entered in Error


Enter Vitals from Notes tab
Entering Vitals from the Notes tab

For CPRS users who have access to the Encounter button, the Enter Vitals window can also be opened from the Notes tab. This method will skip the main Vitals Lite window.

If you don’t have access to the Encounter button, see Entering Vitals Data for instructions on accessing Vitals Lite through the CPRS Cover Sheet.

1	In CPRS, go to the Notes tab and then click the Encounter button. In the Location For Current Activities window, select an existing appointment or admission, or create a new  visit, then click OK.

In the Encounter Form window, go to the Vitals tab and then click the Enter Vitals button.

2	The Enter Vitals window opens, displaying the selected patient’s Name, SSN, and DOB at the top of the window, along with the selected Hospital Location and current Date/Time. To use a different location, date/time, or template for this set of vitals:

Click the Read Monitor button to retrieve vital sign readings from a vital sign monitor (VSM) connected to the workstation.

Click the Date/Time button to select a different date or different time.

Click the Hospital Location button to select a different location.

Click the Exp. View button to display or hide the Templates panel. To select a template, click any template name in the list. If no template has been selected, the default System template will be used.

You can also display or hide the latest vitals on file for this patient by clicking the Latest V. button. The vitals data will be shown at the bottom of the Enter Vitals window.

3	Type a value for each vital sign or measurement, then press Enter to move to the next field. If you would like to select a different qualifier for a vital sign, click the down-arrow button to display a list of its qualifiers.

To enter a non-numeric value for a particular vital sign or measurement, use one of these options.

4	Click Save. To enter additional vitals for this patient, repeat steps 4–6 using a different date, time, and/or location.

To discard the vitals you have entered, click Cancel. You will be prompted to confirm the cancellation.

When you are finished entering vitals for this patient, click Save and Exit. The Enter Vitals window closes.

Also see:

Viewing Vitals Data

Marking Vitals as Entered in Error


Set Graph and Grid Options
Setting Graph Options

In the main Vitals Lite window, any existing vitals data values for the selected patient are displayed in a graph and a grid on the right side of the window. See Viewing Vitals Data for information about a selecting date range or graph type.

You can customize the graph by setting the Graph Options checkboxes, changing the zoom percentage, or changing the background color of the graph.

The data grid cannot be customized.

To set graph options:

1	From the File menu, select Show/Hide Graph Options. Four checkboxes open on the left side of the graph:

•	Click the Values checkbox to display a numeric label for each point on the graph.

•	Click the Time Scale checkbox to view the graph in actual time instead of in evenly distributed intervals. You can click on a data value in the graph to see additional information about the vitals that were entered that day.

•	Click the 3D checkbox to create a 3D effect on the graph. This option is only available when the Time Scale checkbox has been checked.

•	Click the Allow Zoom checkbox to zoom the graph view in or out.

2	To change the zoom percentage, enter a new value in the Zoom Percent text box. This value defines the "zoom in" and "zoom out" buttons (the two magnifying glass icons). Click the Reset Zoom button (the circular red arrow icon) to reset the Zoom Percent box to its default value (10).

3	To change the background color of the graph, choose Select Graph Color from the File menu. Click a color in the palette, then click OK to apply the color setting.

Also see:

Viewing Vitals Data

Printing the Vitals Graph

View a text version of the vitals graph


Viewing the Graph as a Text Report

You can view data for the selected vitals in a text-only report format. This information is read-only and cannot be edited or printed from this window.

1	In the main Vitals window, select Graph Report from the File menu. A report screen opens, showing a text version of the data in the graph.

2	To view more or less information, select a different vitals in the main Vitals window.

3	Click Close to close the report window.


Viewing Allergies

You can view allergy information for the selected patient in the main Vitals Lite window. This information is read-only and cannot be edited in Vitals Lite.

1	In the top Vitals menu bar, click the Allergies button. An Allergy Display screen opens, listing any allergies that have been reported for this patient.

2	Click Close to close the Allergy window.


Viewing Patient Demographic Information

You can view a Patient Inquiry report for the selected patient in the main Vitals Lite window. This information is read-only and cannot be edited in Vitals Lite.

1	From the File menu, select Patient Inquiry. A patient inquiry report screen opens, listing all available demographic information for this patient.

2	Click Print to print the patient inquiry report.

3	Click Close to close the report window.


Viewing the Data Grid Report

You can view existing vitals data for the selected patient in a text-only report format. This is the same information that is displayed in the data grid. It is read-only and cannot be edited or printed from this window.

1	In the main Vitals Lite window, select Data Grid Report from the File menu. A report screen opens, showing a text version of the data in the data grid.

2	To view more or less information, select a different date range in the main Vitals Lite window. See Viewing Vitals Data for more information.

3	Click Close to close the report window.


Marking Vitals as Entered in Error

Vitals data values cannot be deleted once they have been saved – if incorrect vitals data have been saved, they must be marked Entered in Error and replaced with corrected data. Any data values that have been marked "in error" will continue to be stored in the Vitals database, but will be removed from the patient’s data grid and graph.

To mark vitals as "Entered in Error":

1	In the main Vitals Lite window, locate the data value(s) to be corrected. From the File menu, select Entered in Error –or–  click on the Date/Time heading of a column in the data grid. The Entered in Error window opens.

2	Click the down-arrow button and select the date of the incorrect data from the calendar, or type in the date. A list of vitals data opens, displaying all values for the selected date.

3	Click an incorrect value to select it, or use CTRL+ click to select multiple values. In the Reason section, click the reason for the incorrect entry, then click the Mark as Entered in Error button. A confirmation screen opens.

4	Click Yes to confirm that the selected value has been entered in error.  Click No to select a different value. An information screen appears.

5	Click OK. All values that have been marked Entered in Error are removed from the data grid and graph.

6	If necessary, enter new vitals data for this patient to replace the incorrect values.

Also see:

Entering Vitals Data

Viewing Vitals Data


Viewing Vitals Data

In the main Vitals Lite window, vitals data values for the selected patient are displayed on the right side of the window in a graph (top) and a grid (bottom). The time scale runs from left to right, displaying the most recent values on the far right.

You can select a date range and a type of graph to narrow down the amount of data to be displayed, and you can also print the graph. To customize the graph display, see Setting Graph Options.

To select a date range:

Use one of the following methods to select a date range:

•	Click a predetermined time frame from the box on the left of the graph. Today displays today’s data only, T-1 displays data for today plus one previous day, T-7 displays data for today plus seven previous days, and so on. All Results displays all available data for the selected patient.

•	Click Date Range to set a customized date range, then select "Start with" and "Go to" dates.

All data within the selected date range is displayed in the graph and grid.

To select a type of graph:

Use one of the following methods to select a type of graph:

•	Click a vital type row heading in the grid (for example, Temp or B/P).

•	Select a graph type from the drop-down list at the bottom left corner of the graph.

The selected graph opens above the grid, displaying the data values from the grid.

To print the vitals data graph:

1	From the File menu, select Print Graph. A standard Print dialog box opens.

2	Select a printer and click OK.


Entering a non-numeric value

Click Patient on Pass to mark all vitals as "Pass" for this date/time.

Click the U… checkbox next to any vital sign to indicate that information is unavailable.

Click the R… checkbox next to any vital sign to indicate that the patient refused that measurement.

Note: The last two options are available only if the Enable U. and/or Enable R. boxes are checked.


Zoom

This feature is only available when the Allow Zoom box is checked.

Click the Zoom Graph In button (the magnifying glass icon with the plus sign in the center) or the Zoom Graph Out button (the magnifying glass icon with the minus sign in the center) to expand or narrow down the scale of the graph. For example, if the value in the Zoom Percent box is 10, the Zoom In / Zoom Out buttons will enlarge or shrink the graph by ten percent each time you click the button. Click the Reset Zoom button to reset the Zoom Percent box to its original value.

To zoom in on a particular section of the graph, you can also click and drag inside the graph to select a range of data points. The selected values expand to fill the graph area.


Actual Time on the graph

By default, the graph displays data in evenly distributed intervals, corresponding to the columns of the grid below.

The Time Scale feature displays data for the entire date range on a single graph, distributed according to the date/time stamp on the data. For example, a data point for January 15 will be closer to a data point for January 16, and a data point in February will be further away.

The data in the grid is shown between two blue lines on the graph.


Print Vitals Graph
Printing the Vitals Graph

In the main Vitals Lite window, you can send the vitals data graph to a printer. The graph will be printed as it appears on the screen at the time of printing. See Viewing Vitals Data to select a different date range or graph type, or see Setting Graph Options to change the appearance of the graph.

1	From the File menu, select Print Graph. A standard Print dialog box opens.

2	Select a printer and click OK.


Access Keys

Keyboard shortcuts are available in the main Vitals Lite window, the Enter Vitals window, and in the following secondary popup windows: Entered in Error, Hospital Location, and Date/Time. Shortcut keys and menu access keys for each window are listed below.

Vitals Lite window:

Option / Button Text	Access Key	Shortcut Key
File Menu	Alt + F
Patient Inquiry	A	Ctrl + Alt + Q
Data Grid Report	D	Ctrl + Alt + G
Graph Report	G	Ctrl + Alt + R
Entered in Error	N	Alt + N
Enter Vitals	E	Alt + E
Allergies	L	Alt + R
Graph Options	R	Ctrl + Alt + O
Select Graph Color	C
Print Graph	P	F9
Exit	X
Help Menu	Alt + H
Quick Reference	Q
Vitals Web Page	V
About	A
Graph / Grid Options
Date Range selector	Alt + D
Graph selector	Alt + G
Values checkbox	Alt + L
Time Scale checkbox	Alt + M
3D checkbox	Alt + 3
Allow Zoom checkbox	Alt + Z
Enter Vitals window:

Option / Button Text	Access Key	Shortcut Key
File Menu	Alt + F
Patient Inquiry	Q
Latest Vitals Report	L
Read Monitor	M
Date/Time	D	Ctrl + D
Hospital	H	Ctrl + H
Save	S
Exit	X
View Menu	Alt + V
Expanded View	W
Latest Vitals	L
Enable U	U
Enable R	R
Units as Drop Down List	N
Templates	Alt + T
Date/Time button	Alt + D
Hospital button	Alt + H
Exp View button	Alt + W
Latest V button	Alt + V
Patient on Pass	Alt + P
Enable U.	Alt + U
Enable R	Alt + R
Units as Drop Down List	Alt + N
Save and Exit button	Alt + A
Save button	Alt + S
Exit button	Alt + X
Read Monitor	Alt + M
Entered in Error window:

Option / Button Text	Shortcut Key
Select Date	Alt + D
Incorrect Date/Time	Alt + T
Incorrect Reading	Alt + R
Incorrect Patient	Alt + P
Invalid Record	Alt + E
Mark as Entered in Error	Alt + M
Cancel button	Alt + C
Hospital Location selector window:

Option / Button Text	Shortcut Key
Appointments tab	Alt + P
Admissions tab	Alt + M
Name tab	Alt + N
Select button	Alt + S
Cancel button	Alt + C
Date/Time selector window:

Option / Button Text	Shortcut Key
OK button	Alt + O
Cancel button	Alt + C
Today button	Alt + T
<<< button	Alt + <
>>> button	Alt + >
Now button	Alt + N
Midnight button	Alt + M
Time	Alt + I