Background: Adverse events are serious and frequent complications most often linked to the quality of nursing care. Purpose: We evaluated the compliance to traceability of nursing care at bedside using the Patient Smart Reader, a personal digital assistant with a barcode. Methods: We compared paper record forms, specific computer software in the hospital information system and the Patient Smart Reader. Results: The Patient Smart Reader enhanced the recording of 90% of nursing care surveyed. Regarding the insertion of blood catheters, compliance rates increased from 44.19 % to 100%, and blood catheter monitoring has risen from 29.64% to 80.74%. Urinary catheter monitoring and insertion recording increased from 10.23% to 55.43% and from 16.67% to 100 % respectively. Conclusions: Providing to caregivers a nursing record system using barcoded implements at the point of care in real time significantly improved traceability of the nursing care.