MODULE 1
My name is Jennifer Felter and I live 20 miles from the nearest town on top of a mountain with gorgeous views all around. I live in Malad, Idaho which is a small rural town of approximately 2000 people spread over 100 square miles. I am married with two children and am currently in the Distance Learning Nurse Practitioner Program with an emphasis in Family Practice. I have worked in health care in the Emergency Department for 13 1/2 years - 8 1/2 as an RN. I have had experience in quite a few areas of nursing, but have never left the ER. My experience includes ER at a Trauma II center in Ogden, Utah (I still commute there); Med/Surg; Pediatric Home health/Respite (12 hour shifts); Director of Nursing at an Assisted Living Center; and most recently I work at a small rural Facility in Malad where you are the only one with one other licensed staff. You cover the floor, ER, OP along with calling in the MD, Lab, and X-ray from home when they are needed. When I first started working rural, I thought I would be bored out of my mind. Boy was I mistaken. Every shift brings something different.

As a graduate nurse, I am looking forward to increasing my knowledge base and in order to do this I must be aware of current technology in information management. I need to be able to access computer charting and medical records along with being able to use tele-radiology in order to provide for my patients, especially in the rural arena. In Ogden we have used computer charting and medical records along with tele-radiology for several years. Malad is about 20 years behind technologically speaking, but they have begun using tele-radiology several years ago and they just upgraded to an 8 slice (yes 8 slice) CT scanner and they are in heaven. They have begun scanning medical records and are going to be moving to computer charting in the near future. Structured/Coded clinical data is important in promoting quality patient because it ensures continuity of care.