Using vxVitals Manager

vxVitals Manager allows a site's administrator or local systems coordinator to define, configure and assign functions in the vxVitals application. This includes activities such as creating and editing templates, associating qualifiers, and setting normal/abnormal value ranges for each vital. It also allows for printing vitals, qualifiers, their associated categories.

GMV MANAGER is the only security key in this application. This key controls access to the vxVitals Manager module. This key also allows a user to view/create/edit all other user's templates in the vxVitals Manager module; without this key the user can only view/create/edit his or her own user templates. This key should be assigned to the package coordinator.

The vxVitals Manager module is used to maintain the site files and settings necessary for a site to operate the software.

This chapter discuses how to:

u Start the vxVitals Manager module

u Set System Parameters

u Set Abnormal Values

u Create/edit a templates

u Print a qualifiers

u Exit the application

Getting Started with vxVitals Manager

To begin using the vxVitals Manager icon double click the vxVital Manager icon to display the vxVistA Sign-on screen.

The vxVistA Sign-on screen is shown with red boxes around the Access code and Verify Code fields, and the OK  buttton.

vxVistA Sign-on Screen

Login into vxVitals Manager by completing the following:

1.  Enter the access code in the Access Code: field.

2.  Enter the verify code in the Verify Code: field.

3.  Click the OK button to log in.

The vxVitals Management main window opens

The Vitals Management Main window is shown.

Vitals Management Main Window

Editing System Parameters

System Parameters can be modified, configured and set by using system parameters feature in vxVitals Manager. A facility system coordinator can configure the following three system parameters in the vxVitals Manager.:

u Allow User Templates

u Help Menu Web Address

u Version Compatibility

To edit system parameters double-click on the System Parameters folder to open it.

The Vitals Management screen is shown with red boxes around the System Parameters folder and the System Parameters details frame.

 

System Parameters Frame

Allow User Templates allows a package coordinator to decide whether a clinician should be able to create/edit user templates in the vxVitals Manager and vxVitals modules. When the check box is checked, a clinician is able to create/edit user templates in the vxVitals Manager and vxVitals modules.

Help Menu Web Address contains the address for the vxVitals Home Page and directs the user's default browser to this page when accessed.

Version Compatibility is used to check if a client version is compatible or not with the current version of vxVitals running on the appropriate vxVistA server. All previously installed versions of vxVitals/Measurements are listed in this parameter. Only the version(s) that are compatible with the current server version are checked. These versions are identified by their executable name and the Windows file version. Because backward compatibility is required, more than one version of the software may be flagged as compatible.   

Once set, click the System Parameters button from the top Menu Bar of the Main window and then select Save System Parameters to save the selected configurations.

The Menu Bar is shown displaying the Save System Parameters button.

Save System Parameters

Alternatively, the Save Parameters: button from the Header Bar may also be used to save the selected configurations.

The Header Bar is shown with a red box around the System Parameters button.

Save Parameters Button

 

Note: The vxVistA server install (KIDS Build) will automatically set the Help Menu Web Address and Version Compatibility parameters for the client/server versions being installed. After an installation this parameter should be carefully reviewed. Modification of this parameter should not be needed unless the site is testing a patch or performing local modifications to the client software.

Editing Abnormal Values

Abnormal values are high or low values outside the normal range for a specific vital. When abnormal values are entered, the value(s) will show on the data table as an abnormal value.

Abnormal values display as bold, or a different color dependent upon how it is defined in the User Options option in the vxVitals module. User Options is used to define what the text should look like in the data table (bold, different color, etc.) for both normal and abnormal values.

To edit abnormal high and low values for a vital, double click-on the Abnormal Values folder to open it, then click on the desired vital to edit for the high/low values. The following window appears:

The Vitals Management screen is displaying Abnormal Values.

Abnormal Values

Slider Bars are used to set the abnormal low and high values by dragging the bar up or down to set the appropriate abnormal values. The Value Boxes at the bottom of the screen will display the values set by the sliding bars. Abnormal values may also be typed inside of the Value Boxes as well. The Slider Bar will not reflect the value entered until the user clicks in an area outside of the Value Box.

Creating/Editing a Template

Templates are a set of vitals and measurements grouped together to make data entry simpler and easier. Templates provide a way for a user to customize specific sets of vitals/measurements to fit the needs of an individual user or groups of users. Templates are created in vxVitals Manager based on the needs of a user, facility or facility location by the system administrator.

u System: Templates available to all system users.

u Division: Templates available to all users within a division (for multi-divisional sites).

u Location: Templates available to all users within a particular ward, team, or clinic.

u User: Templates available only to the individual user who created the template.

All Vitals Templates Types are created in same manner. The following instructions illustrate how to create a Template using the Location Type as an example. These steps will apply for all Template Types.

To create a new template, click the Templates button from the Menu Bar of the vxVitals Manager Main window and then select New Template … from the drop-down list.

The vxVitals Manager Main window showing New Template selected from the Templates menu.

 

vxVitals Manager Main Window Menu Bar with New Template Selected

The Create New Vitals Template menu appears:

The Create New Vitals Template window is shown.

Create New Vitals Template Window

Alternatively, the Template button from the Header Bar may also be clicked to display the Create New Vitals Template menu.

The Templates button on the Menu bar is shown.

 

Templates Button on Menu Bar

In the Type section of the window, select the Template Type by clicking the appropriate radio button next to the desired type. In this case, Location radio button is selected.

There is a red box showing the Location Type selection on the Create New Vitals Template window.

Location Type Selected

Dependent upon the Type of Template selected, the Name field title will match the selected Template Type. (For example when the Location type is selected, the name field title appears as Location Name. If System type is selected, the name field appears as System Name, etc). Enter the appropriate name of Template Type in this Name field.

Enter an appropriate name in the Template Name: field (maximum length is 30 characters).

Enter a short description of the template in the Template Description: field (maximum length is 50 characters). This field is optional.

Once all necessary fields are entered, click the OK button.

There is a red square around the OK button on the Create New Template window.

OK Button

The Vitals Template Editor menu displays to add/edit the Vitals and Qualifiers for the new created template. The Template Name: and the Description: fields displays the information provided previously on the Create New Template window. The Template Vitals field displays a list of the newly added vitals.

The Vitals Management screen is shown.

Vitals Management Screen

Clicking the Add button (+) button on the right side of the Vitals Template Editor window will display the Add Vital window, providing a list of vitals to add to the new Template. Multiple vitals can be selected by holding down the CTRL key and clicking all of the appropriate vitals necessary for the new template. Once all appropriate vials are selected, click the OK button.

The Add Vital window is shown.

Add Vital Window

The Vitals Template Editor screen now displays the selected vitals in the Template Vitals field. The appropriate qualifiers can be added or edited to a selected vital at this time. Click on a Vital and all available Qualifiers display on the bottom portion of the screen. Click in the checkbox next to each Qualifier to associate it with the selected Vital.

The Vitals Template Editor is shown displaying selected vitals.

Vitals Template Editor Displaying Selected Vitals

Choose the vital qualifier by clicking the desired check box that displays under the Qualifier field. Only one qualifier may be selected from this list. If applicable, select the appropriate measurement scale by clicking either the US or Metric radio buttons on the right hand corner of the Qualifiers screen.

Note: Each Vital will have its own set of specific qualifiers to customize. When adding vitals to this field, ensure all appropriate Qualifier check boxes are populated.

Select a vital and click the Delete button (-) button on the right side of the Vitals Template Editor screen to remove a vital type from the template. Use the up/down arrow buttons to move vital types around on the list.

The Vitals Template Editor is shown displaying the Delete button.

Vitals Template Editor Showing Delete Button

To save the new created template, click the Templates button from the Menu Bar of the vxVitals Manager Main window and then select Save Template from the drop down list.

The Template drop-down list is shown.

 

Template Drop-down List

Alternatively, the Save Templates: button from the Header Bar may also be clicked to save the new created template.

The Save Template button is shown.

Save Templates Button

 

Setting a Template as a Default

Each Division, Location, and User can have only one template at a time designated as the default template. Designating a template as a default assigns the preferred template the Division, Location and/or User. Setting a template as a default is not required for vxVitals Manager functionality.   Defaulted templates are useful for first time users “entering” patient data into vxVitals. The default template will be displayed until the user selects another template instead.

A Template can be set to the default template by clicking the Templates button from the menu bar and selecting Set Default Template from the drop down menu.

 

The Templates drop-down menu is shown with the Set Default Template item selected.

 

Templates Drop-down Menu Showing Set Default Template Selection

Alternatively, the Set Template as Default button on the header bar may also be clicked to set the new template to default.

There is a red box around the Set Template as Default button on the header bar.

Set Template as Default Button

Deleting a Template

A new or existing template can be deleted using the vxVitals Management Module. To delete a new or existing template, select the template name from the left side of the main window to identify the desired template to delete, then, click the Templates button from Menu bar and select Delete Templates from the drop-down list.

There is a red box showing the Delete Template selection from the Templates drop-down menu.

Delete Template Selection from Templates Drop-down Menu

Alternatively, with the desired template selected, the Delete Template button on the header bar may also be clicked to delete the new or existing template.

There is a red box arround the Delete Template button on the header bar.

Delete Template Button

 

Managing Vitals Categories and Qualifiers

Categories and qualifiers are nationally defined and cannot be changed locally.  Each vital  is linked to one or more categories and each category may be linked to one or more qualifiers. The linkages between categories and vitals are also nationally defined and cannot be changed locally, but the qualifiers within those categories can be changed.

Pain and Central Venous Pressure are not associated with any qualifiers.

Qualifiers describe how patient vital signs and measurements were taken. These qualifiers are categorized by the following:

u Location (e.g., right arm, left leg)

u Method (e.g., cuff, Doppler, assisted ventilator, etc.)

u Position (e.g., lying, sitting, standing)

u Site (e.g., right, left)

u Quality (e.g., actual, estimated), and

u Cuff size (e.g., adult, small adult, pediatric).  

Synonyms are used as qualifier abbreviations and are appended to the measurement's numeric values on graphic reports.

To view the categories and qualifiers that are associated with a particular vital, double-click the Vitals folder or single click the plus sign (+) next to the Vitals folder to display a list of the all Vitals.

A red box inicates the selection of the Vitals folder and then arrows point to the expanded view of the folder.

Vitals Folder

When a Vital is selected under the Vitals folder, a list of Categories and Qualifiers display on the right side of the vxVitals Manager window

A red box indicates the selection of the Pulse folder and an arrow points to the Qualifiers frame.

Categories and Qualifiers for a Vital

To associate a Vitals qualifier with a category:

1.  Select the desired category.

2.  Click the appropriate Qualifier check boxes for that category.

Check marks will appear next to the selected qualifiers. Category changes are automatically saved. The qualifiers selected here for a category and vital will be the only qualifiers available to the user when entering patient data.

A red box is around the Categories and qualifiers frames.

Categories and Qualifiers Associated with a Vital

Printing a Qualifiers Table

The Qualifiers Table is a list of all qualifiers for each vital  and its categories, including each qualifier's synonym. A user with appropriate access may use this list to determine the accuracy and completeness of the qualifier selection. Qualifiers that are not associated with a category and vital do not appear in this list.

To print the Qualifiers Table, click File from the main menu bar, then select Print Qualifiers Table.

A red box shows the Print Qualifiers Table selection from the File menu.

 

Print Qualifiers Table Menu Selection

The Device Selection window appears.

A red box shows the Device Selection window and the Queue To Run at: setting.

Device Selection Window

To Queue a report to run on a specific date:

1.  Select or enter the date and time using the Queue To Run at: field.

u The default date/time is the current server date/time.

2.  Enter the appropriate printer name in the Device: field.

3. Select the matching printer from the results list

4. Click the OK button to print the report.

This report can't be queued to run for a past date/time.