Background In October 2023, the Jersey Hospice Care adult in-patient unit (IPU) transitioned from paper-based nursing documentation to electronic health records for patients using the EGTON Management Information System (EMIS). Electronic risk assessments and care plan templates were created by nurses for nurses which involved extensive background research adopting new ways of working and applying IT skills to support documentation in clinical practice. The initial implementation took 6 months to complete, with the system continuing to evolve.

Aims To streamline record-keeping processes and to reduce variations in nursing documentation to support and inform care delivery, increase connectivity with other service providers through shared care records to provide continuity of care, and improve patient outcomes.

Method The EMIS configurators (Superusers) undertook evidence-based research to inform the creation of the electronic nursing assessments and care plan templates. An EMIS Go-Live working group was set up to follow the project’s progress. A teaching programme was devised, and guidance was developed to support nurses in navigating the EMIS system and completing core nursing documentation. This was achieved through 1:1 teaching sessions and elbow-to-elbow support on IPU following EMIS implementation.

Results The implementation of EMIS documentation templates was successful with improved streamlined documentation processes achieved. The benefits of the system were recognised by both staff and external reviewers. The ‘You Said, We Did’ feedback provided an effective way for EMIS configurators to communicate with staff and to follow up on any queries or changes that required to be made.

Conclusion Jersey Hospice Care is moving with the times in relation to electronic record keeping and this has been embraced successfully within the organization, contributing to an Island-wide approach. Electronic care records have improved documentation practices and person-centred care through gaining a better understanding of the patient’s journey through a more streamlined narrative.