THE ROLE OF THE NURSE INFORMATICIST IN SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION
Assume you are a nurse manager on a unit where a new nursing documentation system is to be implemented. You want to ensure that the system will be usable and acceptable for the nurses impacted. You realize a nurse leader must be on the implementation team.
To Prepare:
- Review the steps of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and reflect on the scenario presented.
- Consider the benefits and challenges associated with involving a nurse leader on an implementation team for health information technology.
The Assignment: (2-3 pages not including the title and reference page)
In preparation of filling this role, develop a 2- to 3-page role description for a graduate-level nurse to guide his/her participation on the implementation team. The role description should be based on the SDLC stages and tasks and should clearly define how this individual will participate in and impact each of the following steps:
- Planning and requirements definition
- Analysis
- Design of the new system
- Implementation
- Post-implementation support
- Use APA format and include a title page and reference page.
- Use the Safe Assign Drafts to check your match percentage before submitting your work.
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The Role of the Nurse Informaticist in Systems Development and Implementation Example
Health organizations in the current world depend largely on health information technologies to achieve their performance goals and objectives. Health technologies facilitate organizational outcomes such as safety, quality, and efficiency. Health organizations rely on their staff, including advanced registered nurses in the analysis of a technology need and its implementation for use in the provision of patient care services. Therefore, this paper examines the roles of a graduate-level nurse in guiding the implementation team in the adoption of a new system. It utilizes the steps of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
Role Description
System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a process utilized in the development and adoption of technologies in healthcare. It comprises steps that include planning, analysis, design, implementation, and post-implementation. The graduate-level nurse plays several roles in each of these steps. Planning is the first stage in SDLC. It mainly focuses on determining system requirements and determining the need for a system in an organization. The graduate-level nurse obtains system requirements from different stakeholders in this step. They also define system requirements and project on the feasibility and need for the system in the organization. The information helps them in prioritizing the framework to be used in designing and implementing the system for use in the organization (Hussey, 2021). The nurse also participants in developing the expected budget and resources that are needed for the proposed system.
The second stage in SDLC is system analysis. Analysis entails the determination of the technical and functional requirements of the system. The graduate-level nurse guides the organization and its stakeholders in determining how the system will deliver the anticipated results. They also develop guidelines for the different tasks that should be undertaken to ensure effective system adoption and the realization of the desired organizational outcomes. The nurse also participates in discovery sessions where they develop accurate project requirements and workflows (Kleib et al., 2021). The graduate-level nurse also undertakes studies to determine the potential impact of the new system on clinical systems and processes. They use the information to develop effective strategies for managing change and obtaining buy-in from the organizational stakeholders.
The other step in the SDLC is system design. This is the step where system developers design and prototype the software that will be used in executing organizational tasks. The graduate-level prepared nurse collaborates with other team members in determining the necessary functionalities and features of the system. The nurse also participates in developing software architecture, streamline the system development process, and codes that will guide the implementation (Tracy et al., 2022). The nurse also participates in developing intended system frameworks and programming languages that will enhance system efficiency. In addition, the nurse collaborates with other members of the team in performing risk assessments, developing alternatives, and ensuring the system addresses the crucial stakeholder needs in the organization. In some cases, the graduate-level nurse may be involved in gathering stakeholder feedback on the effectiveness of the adopted approaches in system design to inform the improvement strategies utilized in the process (Booth et al., 2021). Therefore, the graduate-level’s nurse in this stage reduces additional costs and resources used in the system design phase.
The other step in the SDLC process is implementation. Implementation is the phase where the system codes, prototyping, testing, and integration occur. The graduate-level nurse participates in the clinical use of the system in the provision of patient care services. The nurse also implements strategies to manage change among system adopters. For example, they lead the provision of training opportunities, coaching, and mentorship to minimize the potentials of resistance to change from the adopters. The nurse also obtains feedback from system users about their experiences with the system and potential improvements to enhance its efficiency in delivering the anticipated outcomes in the organization. The nurse also ensures that functional, integration, unit, non-functional, and acceptance testing are done to provide insights into system efficiency in addressing the organization’s needs. The information from this step identifies potential pitfalls that should be solved before the organization wide use of the system.
The last step in the SDLC process is post-implementation phase. Post-implementation comprises processes such as system operation and maintenance. The graduate-level nurse participates in the regular evaluation of system effectiveness and the implementation of strategies to improve its performance. The nurse utilizes strategies such as interviews and surveys to obtain information about user-experiences with the newly adopted system. The assessment data informs the improvement strategies used to enhance system effectiveness and efficiency in improving organizational performance. The nurse also provides continuous support for system users. The support exists in forms such as coaching and mentorship to ensure sustained outcomes in the organization. The nurse also collaborates with other members of the healthcare team to assess if the anticipated outcomes of the system have been achieved in the organization (Hussey, 2021; Tracy et al., 2022). Outcome measures inform the feasibility of the system in driving the desired excellence in the organization.
Conclusion
In summary, the graduate-level nurse plays several roles in the adoption of a new system in an organization. The roles are evident in the different stages of the SDLC. Health organizations should ensure their inclusion to ensure relevance and resource efficiency in the adoption of healthcare systems. In addition, graduate-level nurses should explore ways of enhancing their competencies in helping their organizations embrace systems that address their actual and potential needs.
References
Booth, R., Strudwick, G., McMurray, J., Chan, R., Cotton, K., & Cooke, S. (2021). The Future of Nursing Informatics in a Digitally-Enabled World. In P. Hussey & M. A. Kennedy (Eds.), Introduction to Nursing Informatics (pp. 395–417). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58740-6_16
Hussey, P. (2021). Introduction to Nursing Informatics. In P. Hussey & M. A. Kennedy (Eds.), Introduction to Nursing Informatics (pp. 1–13). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58740-6_1
Kleib, M., Chauvette, A., Furlong, K., Nagle, L., Slater, L., & McCloskey, R. (2021). Approaches for defining and assessing nursing informatics competencies: A scoping review. JBI Evidence Synthesis, 19(4), 794. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBIES-20-00100
Tracy, M. F., O’Grady, E. T., & Phillips, S. J. (2022). Hamric & Hanson’s Advanced Practice Nursing – E-Book: An Integrative Approach. Elsevier Health Sciences.