A new nurse arrives for orientation, sits down at a workstation, and cannot log in. The administrator is apologetic, the preceptor loses twenty minutes, and the new hire starts to wonder how organized the building really is. Technology setup is a small part of onboarding that makes a large first impression.
Below is a practical checklist for getting accounts, equipment and training ready, plus a matching checklist for departures. Share it with HR, department heads and whoever manages IT.
IT usually needs several business days to create accounts and prepare equipment. Ask HR to submit a new hire request as soon as an offer is accepted, with the start date, job role, supervisor and work location. Agency and contract staff should follow the same process.
Create a list of standard access for each role, such as RN, LPN, CNA, medication aide, dietary, activities, and business office. Role templates reduce mistakes and keep access to the minimum necessary, which is a HIPAA principle. Anything outside the template should need supervisor approval.
Network or single sign-on account
Email, if the role uses it
EHR or EMR account with the correct clinical permissions
Time clock and scheduling system
Training portal
Any pharmacy, therapy or ordering tools the role requires
Do not create shared accounts to save time. Individual accounts support accountability and audit logs.
Decide in advance how new employees will register their second factor. If staff do not carry personal smartphones on the floor, plan for alternatives such as hardware tokens or badge-based methods.
Have any needed laptops, tablets, badges or phones labeled, updated and recorded in your asset inventory. Test the sign-in on the actual workstation the person will use.
Spend fifteen minutes on:
How to sign in and out, and why sessions should be locked when stepping away
How to spot and report phishing
Where to get help and how to write a clear support request
Rules for personal devices and photos in the building
Reminders that resident information is never shared on personal messaging apps or social media
Collect signed acceptable use and confidentiality acknowledgments, and record completion of HIPAA training. The Security Rule expects security awareness training for all workforce members, and training before access is a sound practice.
Check in with the new employee and the supervisor. Ask whether anything is missing or too broad. Fix permission gaps through a ticket instead of borrowing a coworker's login. Confirm they have completed required training modules and can reach the help desk.
Offboarding is just as important. When someone leaves, consider:
Disabling accounts on or before the last day, with HR notifying IT in advance
Recovering laptops, phones, badges and keys, and recording them in inventory
Removing access to shared mailboxes, shared drives and vendor portals
Changing any shared passwords that person knew
Forwarding or archiving email according to retention policy
Removing the person's phone from MFA and mobile management
For agency or per diem staff who rotate through, set accounts to expire automatically unless renewed.
Granting broad access because it is quicker than designing a role template
Sharing a login on the first day while the real account is pending
Forgetting to deactivate accounts for seasonal or part-time staff
Not telling IT when someone changes roles, leaving old access behind
A one-page form shared between HR, nursing leadership and IT removes most of these problems. UnityCare IT provides helpdesk and managed IT services for senior living and healthcare teams, including onboarding and offboarding workflows. If your process relies on emails and memory, we would be glad to help you build something more dependable.
Call or text: 405-285-3845
New customers: start@unitycareit.com
Existing customers: support@unitycareit.com
Address: UnityCare Technologies, 2524 N Broadway Ste 554, PMB 947974, Edmond, Oklahoma 73034-4172