What you'll need:
Items can be purchased easily on amazon.
You can see the specific items required on our automatic montioring page.
A "null modem" adapter
USB to Serial cable.
A flathead screwdriver
Video Version
If you prefer to watch a video, here's a how-to-video showing how to do this:
Relevant settings:
Ensure the following items are set in the "PRINT" menu.
BP Print: Serial
Interval Print: 5 seconds (or shortest available interval)
Interval Print Type: Serial
Serial Format: CSV
Serial Type: Tabular
Baudrate: 38400
If the monitor initially connects to Xchart but then drops after a little while, please double check the "Interval Print" is set to 5 seconds not 5 minutes.
The port on the back of the monitor:
The very TOP port on the BACK LEFT SIDE of the monitor is what we need (when looking at the monitor from the back).
Things to be aware of:
Sometimes there's a plastic cover over this, remove this if present.
Sometimes there may be an existing small adapter screwed into it arleady, remove this (we need to confirm it's the right kind).
Get it down to the "base" to start. It should look like this. If you are not seeing the plastic back of the monitor around this port, there is already an adapter in place, remove it first.
Connecting the correct adapter/cable
You will need one and only one "null modem" adapter.
These are usually orange (not yellow).
Make sure you have one, not multiple adapaters.
Push it in with your thumb first, to get it snug, then use a flathead screwdriver to tighten it down nice and snug (if needed you can remove the screws from the adapter and insert them from the other side).
Connect the serial to USB cable
Next, just insert the serial to USB cable, using the thumb screws.
It's OK if yours looks a little bit different, they're mostly the same.
Computer connection
Connect the USB part of the cable to the computer.
Sign into your Xchart account
Make sure you're in the "Case Manager"
Click on the "gear" menu next to your name in the upper right corner
Select "Test monitor connection"
Select "Criticare" / "Show connection selector"
Select the relevant "COM" port from the menu that apprears.
Figuring out which one it is:
There's a quick way to test which one it is:
On Windows, this will say something like "COM X" where X is a number.
While this list is visible and open, physically unplug and re-insert the USB part of the cable from the computer. The correct item is the one that disappears and re-appears from the list.
If you are on Window and if the list is empty, or if nothing is appearing or disappearing when you unplug and re-plug it, very likely you are missing a driver for that cable.
On our downloads page: https://xchart.com/downloads you willl find links to the two most common drivers. Each will require you download and run an installer.
Once this process is complete, try the step above again. You should now see the item listed in the selector window. If not, please contact [email protected].
After selecting the port, you should see something like this:
Click "Use this Connection" and you should be good to go.
Actually recording vitals
At this point you'll see a blue bar accross the top of your screen.
Whenever you see this bar, it means you have a live connection to the monitor.
You can leave it in this state and then just start hooking up the patient. Once Xchart gets any data from the connection it will start the clock on the case and start recording vitals on the "Vitals" page.
