Virtual Heart User Manual Username Password These instructions are meant to help you use the Virtual Heart website. Please write down your username and password and store them in a safe place in case you forget them. You will not be able to change your username once it is entered into the system. You can change your own password by following the instructions on page 10. The nurse will be able to help you with this. 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS Logging On... p.3 Adding Virtual Heart to Your Favorites List... p.3 Entering Your Information... p.4 View Progress Charts/Reports... p.6 Printing Graphs... p.9 Changing Weight Preference... p.9 Changing Password... p.10 Forgot your Password... p.11 Setting a Leave of Absence (going away)... p.12 Downloading Resources... p.13 Going to Links... p.14 Technical Support... p.14 Contacting the Nurse... p.14 Logging Off... p.15 Logging on more than once a day... p.16 Troubleshooting... p.16 2
Logging On 1) Open your Internet browser. 2) Type www.virtualheart.ca into the address bar. 3) Type in your login or Username into the box. 4) Type in your Password. 5) Hit Enter or click on the Login button. Click Yes to the security warning because this site is secure. Adding Virtual Heart to your Favorites list If you wish, you can add this website to your Favorites or Bookmarks list. On the top of your internet screen, you will see the word Favorites or Bookmarks; click on it once and add the Virtual Heart web address link here for easier access. The next time you will not have to remember the Virtual Heart web address; just find it in Favorites or your Bookmarks list. 3
Entering your information 1) After logging in, you must enter your weight and answer the 6 questions regarding your symptoms. If you have set up beforehand with the nurse to add your blood pressure and heart rate, you can enter those measurements here too. Click once in the box next to your Weight and type it in. You may want to write it on a piece of paper near your scale and transfer the information into the computer a bit later in the morning. Let your nurse know if you want to add blood pressure readings daily 2) The questions are asking you how you feel compared to yesterday, it is important to keep this in mind when answering the questions. Read each question carefully and answer by clicking once on the selection button that describes your symptoms best. You can change these if you make a mistake. If you have never felt the symptom, click on The same or choose Never had this before. 3) If you would like to add some more information for the nurse to see, you can type this in the box at the bottom of the page that says Communicate with the Nurse. 4
4) Once you have entered your weight and answered all questions to your satisfaction, click once on the Proceed Button. 5) Once you click Proceed, a box will pop up asking you if you are sure that you have entered the correct answers. You can still go back and change any answers at this point if you click cancel. If you are satisfied with the answers then click on OK. If you have not answered all the questions, you cannot proceed to the next screen. 5
If you find you have accidentally entered the wrong information, you should call or email the nurse in the clinic and he/she can make corrections. 6) If you have entered information indicating that you are doing well, you will see a message stating that you are doing well along with a daily reminder. 7) If you have entered information that requires nurse attention, you will then see a message restating the answers you have entered. 8) If you want to see your progress chart, click once on the View Progress Chart button. 9) If you do not want to see your progress chart, click your mouse once on the green Log Out button in the top right hand corner. Viewing Progress Charts/Reports Once you have clicked on the View Progress Chart button, you will be shown a graph with your progress. If you are adding your blood pressure and heart rate there will be two graphs. 6
The large orange dots on the Weight Graph indicate that an alert has been generated. If you move or hover your mouse over a large orange dot it will show you the questions that you answered much worse to, and your weight information. The small dots indicate that no alert was generated. The blue dots are what your Goal Weight is (dry weight). That is what the heart function team would like you to keep your weight at. The red lines (bars) represent blood pressure readings that were greater than the parameters set by the nurse. The green lines are blood pressure readings that are ok. The heart rate is represented by the orange dots, connected together to make the graph look nicer. If you move your mouse over the dots or blood pressure bars, you can see the data readings. 7
The graphs can be viewed for either the last month, or for all time, simply by clicking on the link under View My Progress by. You can look also below the graphs for a list of alerts that were generated and actions taken. 8
Printing graphs 1) If you wish to print out your Progress Chart, you can find a Print button at the top right hand side of your screen. 2) You can select whether you want to print the last month s results, your own time span of results, or all results ever entered by clicking one of the options in the View Patient Progress In window under that graphs. 3) Click once on the Print button screen to print your graphs. 4) A pop up window will appear and you will have to click again on the printer icon to print the graph. Changing your weight preference 1) To change your weight preference you must be logged in. Navigate to the Progress Chart screen. 2) Click on the My Profile link on the top right of the screen. 9
3) Under Change Weight Preference choose your weight preference and click the circle next to it (either kg or lb). 4) Click on the Save Weight Preference button. Changing your password 1) To change your password you must be logged onto the system. 2) On the My Profile page you can Change Password. Click your mouse once in the box next to Old Password and type in your old password. 4) Click once in the New Password box and type in your new password. 5) Click once in the Confirm New Password box and type in your new password again. 6) Click the button that says Save New Password. Forgot your password? 1) Click on the Forgot your password? link where you first log on the Virtual Heart website and then you will be asked to provide either your email or username, and a new password will be emailed to you after that. 10
Type in your username or your password and a new password will be emailed to you. 11
2) Change your password to something you can remember after you log in using the new temporary password and you can do this by following steps for Changing Password on page 10. 3) If you are having trouble, the nurse can help you. Setting a Leave of Absence (Going away or unable to access your computer) 1) To set a leave of absence if you won t log in due to vacation, business, or hospitalization, go to the My Profile link at the top right of the My Progress or graph display screen. 3) Under the heading Set Leave of Absence, click once on the box that says Reason and choose from a list of reasons you will be absent. 4) On the calendar labeled Date Leaving, click once on the date that you are planning to leave. 5) On the calendar labeled Date Returning, click once on the date that you are planning on coming back. 12
6) If you need to change the month or year that is shown on the calendar, to the left and right of the month, click on the single arrow to the right to see the next month or click on the double arrow to the right for the next year. 7) Once you have selected the dates, click once on the button that says Save Leave of Absence. 8) You will not see the selected dates after this, but the nurse will see them from her screen. If you have any doubts, or if you return earlier, click on the Date Returning day in that month and click Save Leave of Absence again to ensure your return date is available for the nurse. Downloading Resources and checking out Links 1) If you wish to access any of the resources that we have for you, simply go to the log in page www.virtualheart.ca, you can also access resources if you are logged in. 2) Click the Resources link in the upper right of the screen. 13
3) In the section that says Worksheets, click once on the file you wish to view; the item will come up in a new window for you to view, print, or save. Going to Links 1) In the section that says External Links, click on the link you wish to see other internet sites with information on Heart Failure. Technical Support 1) If you need further help and cannot solve the issue with this manual, please contact the nurse by email or telephone during business hours. Contacting the nurse 1) To contact the nurse via email you must be logged in to the system. Click the link that says Email Nurse on the upper right of the screen. 14
2) An email program should open up, (you may have to look for it at the bottom of your screen) and you can write your email to the nurse. You can also manually type the nurse s email address into your email program. 3) If you do not use email, you can telephone the nurse during business hours. Logging Off If you are finished using the website, please remember to log out. Click on the green Log Out button on the right of the screen. If you do not do anything on the Virtual Heart website for more than 15 minutes, it will automatically log out and you must log in again. 15
Logging on more than once a day You will be allowed to enter your answers only once a day, so if you make a mistake entering your answers, please contact the nurse. You can however, log on again if you want to see your progress charts, email the nurse, change your password, look at resources etc. Simply login and you will be taken automatically to your progress chart. Troubleshooting Call the nurse Good luck and happy monitoring! if you need help with getting started. 16