What to know before taking EMR conversion assignments in travel nursing

A tactic that gives you a major advantage over the competition in travel nursing is to stay on topic of healthcare trends. That’s because mandates, regulations and standards affect just about every medical facility in the nation. Taking a new assignment while remaining in the know, so to speak, means you can apply the most effective strategies when entering the job.

This concept is especially true in light of the recent conversion to electronic medical records. As if the mobility, accessibility and improved outcomes of going digital weren’t incentive enough, now hospitals face penalties if they forgo this route. According to HealthIT.gov, healthcare professionals must adopt and demonstrate meaningful use of EMRs or their fee schedule amounts will decrease. This means they will receive less Medicare reimbursement. By 2017, the adjusted schedule drops to 97 percent of the covered amount.

Because of this, many hospitals are accelerating their strategies to adopt EMR systems, but that process requires extensive staff training. These facilities hire travel nurses to cover employees’ shifts while they learn about the new EMR systems.

However, as Aureus Medical travel nurse David Keesee knows, it takes the right mindset and skills to be successful in these assignments. His experience taking an EMR conversion assignment gave him keen insight into how other nurses can prepare for this endeavor. Here’s what he has to say:

Factors that set EMR conversion assignments apart

Certain similarities carry through for all travel assignments. As David explained, EMR conversion ones still give you all the perks of diving into a new experience.

“I like the challenge of travel nursing because you are going into an unfamiliar places and working with people you don’t know,” he said.

However, there are often extra hurdles you’ll face in EMR conversion assignments. Remember, you’re there to fill in for staff members who are training, which means there may not be an abundance of tenured employees to turn to when you have a question. Plus, knowledge of health information technology can make you a more valuable asset to their team, especially if you can aid with training. This, of course, requires either experience or off-the-clock research.

Should David take another EMR conversion assignment for a facility using Epic, a very likely scenario considering the software’s prevalence, his background in the system will help him positively contribute to the hospital’s efforts.

Benefits of taking EMR conversion assignments

The outcome seems to be worth the challenge, though, as EMR conversion jobs have added bonuses compared to typical assignments. For one, you gain invaluable knowledge of the system the facilities is using. David acquired experience in Epic, a popular healthcare software that currently houses 190 million patient records, according to its website.

David also mentioned that EMR conversion travel nursing assignments often offer better pay. After all, not only is the job more demanding, as you’ll balance patient care with EMR conversion support, but the locations of these assignments often lead to higher earnings. David’s assignment was in Bakersfield, California – a state which, according to him, will see a continued need for travel nurses to fill in for staff members undergoing training for their new EMR system. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Golden State lays claim to the highest earning opportunities for registered nurses, with a median hourly wage of $43.69. By comparison, the national average is $31.71.

As David explained, higher pay is only one of many benefits of working in California on EMR conversion assignments. Bakersfield, which sits right in the San Joaquin Valley, helps him strike a fun work-life balance as a travel nurse.

“I have only traveled to California previously due to [t]he Bay area and having many options of thing to do and places to go on off days,” he said.

Do you have what it takes?

There are challenges that are specific to these types of travel nursing jobs, and it takes the right kind of nurse to succeed in this position.

First and foremost, you need to be prepared for the barriers. David said that facilities are often implementing EMR programs among staff who may not like the new system or are not open to change. His observations are supported by research. A study published in the journal Materia Socio Medica, which looked at past articles on EMR conversion, cited resistance to change as a major obstacle in this process.

Meanwhile, a Commonwealth Fund study found that implementation is most successful when the staff is involved in the process and in the presence of strong leadership. You can do your part by bringing a positive attitude to the table and explaining the benefits of EMR conversion.

For example, according to a study published in the journal Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, even though initial change will temporarily disrupt workflow, the implementation ultimately promotes more effective healthcare delivery. Specifically, EMR conversions have led to better patient outcomes, improved quality of care and reduced error rates.

Even if the entire staff is on board, there still could be hiccups along the way, which makes having an excellent work ethic especially helpful.

“I think a nurse taking an EMR conversion assignment must be able to communicate effectively and learn quickly,” David noted.

EMR conversions are  inevitable facet of healthcare. While taking travel nursing assignments with this focus comes with challenges, it also means you’ll have knowledge that will help in future jobs.