Program Overview

Nurse SmartUser is an efficiency training program designed to help nurses make the most of Epic tools. Each session within the Nursing SmartUser Program contains one hour of time-saving tips for a specific subject.

Overall Program Learning Objectives

At the end of this program, participants will be able to:

• Customize and apply Epic personalization and workflow tools to efficiently organize work, manage tasks, and support patient care across inpatient and outpatient nursing workflows.
• Analyze nursing workflows and information flow to identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary navigation, cognitive load, and documentation burden while maintaining accuracy, timeliness, and clinical relevance.
• Create, modify, and evaluate user-level tools and configurations to support efficient, consistent, and clinically appropriate documentation and message management.

Session Overview

Session Statement of Need and Purpose 

Outpatient nurses managing high volumes of In Basket messages may experience inefficiencies related to prioritization, routing, and follow-up. They may not be fully leveraging available In Basket tools—such as filters, searches, QuickActions, My Lists, and postponement features—to manage workload effectively. Inefficient In Basket workflows can result in message backlogs, delayed responses, and variability in patient communication.

This Nurse SmartUser course focuses on practical, high-impact strategies to help outpatient nurses manage their In Basket more efficiently using real-world “quick wins.” Learners will explore tools like sorting and filtering messages, creating and customizing QuickActions, routing messages effectively, and postponing work for appropriate follow-up to reduce cognitive load and improve turnaround time. Unlike introductory In Basket training, this activity emphasizes personalization and workflow optimization that learners can immediately apply in their day-to-day work. Completing this course is an important step in the overall program because it builds a shared foundation for efficient, team-based In Basket management while empowering nurses to tailor Epic to their individual workflow and clinic needs.

Session Learning Objectives

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Apply In Basket tools (filters, searches, QuickActions, My Lists, and follow-up features) to efficiently manage high-volume outpatient nursing messages.
• Analyze In Basket message types and workflows to prioritize work, route tasks appropriately, and reduce cognitive burden.
• Customize In Basket layouts and QuickActions to support efficient, consistent, and team-based outpatient nursing workflows.

Elements of Competence

This educational activity is designed to change learner competence and focuses on the following competencies:

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)/Nursing: 

• Systems-based practice
• Utilizing informatics

Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies

• Roles and responsibilities
• Interprofessional communication

Intended Audience

This session is intended for nurses in inpatient settings using the EMR in their daily practice.

Course Schedule & Agendas*

*We will add agendas to this table as classes are scheduled. Credit information document is available on Epic's registration site. 

Policy on Disclosure

It is the policy of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Interprofessional Continuing Education Partnership (ICEP) to identify, mitigate and disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies* held by the speakers/presenters, authors, planners, and other persons who may influence the content of this accredited continuing education (CE).  In addition, speakers, presenters, and authors must disclose any planned discussion of unlabeled/unapproved uses of drugs or devices during their presentation.

This accredited continuing education activity is focused on the non-clinical topic – use of and communication within the electronic health record. As such, no persons in a position to control content have relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.

*Ineligible companies are those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. The ACCME does not consider providers of clinical services directly to patients to be ineligible companies.

Planning Committee Members

Peer Reviewer: Laura Vergenz, BSN, RN

Accreditation Statement

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP and Epic. The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American   Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Credit Designation Statements

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)

The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.00 ANCC contact hours.

Continuing Education Units (CEU's)

The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP, as a member of the University Professional & Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), authorizes this program for 0.10 continuing education units (CEUs), or 1.00 hour.