| Using vxVitals

This chapter contains an overview of the features and options available in the vxVitals module.

The following topics and sections of vxVitals are listed below:

u Starting the vxVitals module

u Using the vxVitals module

u Customizing and editing the user preferences

Getting Started with vxVitals

To open the vxVitals application:

1. Double-click the vxVitals icon on the desktop.

2. Enter the appropriate access and verify codes at the vxVistA Sign-on window.

3. Click the OK button.

Initial Login Screen

| Note: Additionally, users may access vxVitals through other integrated vxVistA applications (e.g. vxCPRS). Functions such as logging in, searching for a patient, and the ability to search for multiple patients may differ in these applications.

The vxVitals Main window opens:

vxVitals Main Window

Layout of the vxVitals Window

The vxVitals window contains several sections allowing access to view, enter, and modify vitals information for selected patient(s). This window contains many clickable items allowing the user to perform a variety of functions. A description of the layout properties are outlined below.

The vxVitals patient window contains:

u Menu Bar: File, Reports, View, and Help.

u Header Bar: Patient Name/Demographics, Patient Location, vitals Date Range, Pt_ select, Enter Vitals, Allergies and Growth chart.

u Patient Selector Panel: Patient Selector Panel.

u Vitals Data Area: Graphical display Data Grid.

vxVitals Patient Window

The Menu Bar

Contains multiple drop-down menus which provide listed actions that can be performed. From the vxVitals Main menu, the available menu options are File, Reports, View and Help. More instructions will be provided detailing how each of these drop-down menu options can be utilized.

File Menu Drop-Down

The File Menu is the first drop-down item located in the Menu Bar. Clicking the File button from the Menu Bar displays a drop-down list of available options that can be selected to either view information, enter vitals, and/or set personal preferences dependent upon a user's needs.

File Menu Drop-down

The File menu drop-down includes the following options:

u Enter Vitals allows the user to enter patient vitals information.

u Printer Setup provides printer functions and setup.

u Entered in Error allows the user to mark a vital as entered in error.

u Edit User Templates provides personal customization of user templates.

u User Options provides personal customizations of various elements in vxVitals.

u Select Graph Color… allows for the selection of various colors for selected vitals on the graphical display section.

u Print Graph allows user to print selected graphical displays.

u Exit closes the vxVitals component and will take the user back to the Cover Sheet in vxCPRS.

Reports Menu Options

The Reports drop-down menu displays a list of available reports that can be printed from the vxVitals module. These reports included detailed description of the vitals based on the report title and can be printed to illustrate vitals over a specified time frame.

Reports Menu Drop-down

The Reports menu drop-down includes the following available reports/reporting options:

u Patient Inquiry

u Allergies

u Data Grid Report

u Show Graph Report

u Vitals Signs Record

u B/P Plotting Chart

u Weight Chart

u POx/Respiration Chart

u Pain Chart

u Cumulative Vitals Report

u Latest Vitals by Location

u Latest Vitals Display for a Patient

u Print Vitals entered in error for patient.

View Menu Options

The View drop-down menu provides options to view patient information including patient demographics, allergies and a growth chart when available for patients under the age of 2 years or 24 months.

View Menu Drop-down

The View menu drop-down includes the following options:

u Graph Options provides user graphic display options.

u PT Select allows users to select a new patient to view and enter vitals.

u Growth Chart displays a tracking view of the patient's weight, stature and BMI in relation to a national average based upon source data from the CDC.

The Header Bar

The Header Bar is a navigation bar located below the Menu Bar and contains clickable items that display and/or perform specific functions for vxVitals. From the Header Bar, detailed information can be displayed about the patient's demographics and location. The Header Bar also allows for details to be added to a patient's vitals.

Header Bar 1

Header Bar Description:

u Patient Name Details: Displays the patient's Name, Language, MRN, DOB and age on the bar. This button displays the Patient Inquiry screen containing patient demographics such as address, status, and appointments for this patient. This report can be printed.

u Hospital Location: Displays the facility location of the patient and current date range of the patient's stay if one has been assigned.

u The Pt Select: Toggles the Patient Selector panel to open and close as it clicked.

u Enter Vitals: Opens the Vitals Input Template screen to enter vitals for a patient when a single patient has been selected.
If multiple patients are selected, the Enter Vitals button will be unavailable;

u Allergies: Displays a list of any allergies the selected patient may have.

u Growth Chart: Displays data relating to a newborns development over time. This parameter can be adjusted.

Patient Detail Button: Displays patient demographic information including the patient's name, MRN, DOB, Sex and age. This button opens the Patient Inquiry screen when clicked. The Patient Inquiry screen displays other detailed patient specific information. Click the Print button to print this report. Click the Close button to close this screen.

Patient Inquiry Screen

The Patient Inquiry screen can also be accessed from the menu bar by Pt Select from the Reports drop-down menu.

Viewing Allergies

To view any allergies this patient may have, click the Allergies button in the header bar to open the Allergy Display window.

To close this window, the Close button or the X button can be clicked.

Allergy Display Window

Editing User Options

The Vitals window can be customized by choosing how to display the text on the data table and the latest Vitals area. A user may change the color of the text, the background color, bold the text, and show qualifier abbreviations. To edit these preferences:

1. Click File.

2. Select User Options.

User Options

The User preferences application window appears.

User Preferences Window

The User Preferences window can be used to set personal preferences to a user's desired specifications. To change the colors of text and backgrounds for normal and abnormal values. The preferences can be set by using the following options listed below:

u Click the Text and Background button to select a text color and display colors for normal values and latest vitals display.

u Click the Text and Background button to select a text color and display colors for abnormal values and latest vitals display.

u Click the Bold check boxes to make the text bold.

u Click the Show Qualifiers check boxes to show qualifier abbreviations with each value.

Once the desired preferences have been set, click the OK button on the bottom right of the window.

Defaulted settings for normal and abnormal values are listed below:

u Normal values: Text is black, Background is white, Bold is not checked and Show Qualifiers is checked.

u Abnormal values: Text is red, Background is white, Bold is not checked, Show Qualifiers is checked.

To restore the original default settings, click the Defaults button at the bottom left corner of the User preferences window.

The User preferences window can also be used to set a timed search delay when performing searches. Search delays set a time lag to determine how long vxVitals will wait to display results when information is provided in a search field.

This setting allows the user to set a desired search delay when entering characters patient lookup fields. If the time lag passes before the next character is typed, the patient lookup component will use the characters already entered to create a selection list.

User Preferences Search Delay Setting

To set the desired search delay time, follow the steps listed below:

1. Select the appropriate search delay in seconds from the drop-down list.

2. Click the Apply button to save the settings.

3. Click the OK button when finished.