Discussion: The Inclusion of Nurses in the Systems Development Life Cycle

Discussion: The Inclusion of Nurses in the Systems Development Life Cycle
In the media introduction to this module, it was suggested that you as a nurse have an important role in the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC). With a focus on patient care and outcomes, nurses may not always see themselves as contributors to the development of new systems. However, as you may have observed in your own experience, exclusion of nurse contributions when implementing systems can have dire consequences.
In this Discussion, you will consider the role you might play in systems development and the ramifications of not being an active participant in systems development.
To Prepare:
Review the steps of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) as presented in the Resources.
Reflect on your own healthcare organization and consider any steps your healthcare organization goes through when purchasing and implementing a new health information technology system.
Consider what a nurse might contribute to decisions made at each stage of the SDLC when planning for new health information technology.
By Day 3 of Week 9
Post a description of what you believe to be the consequences of a healthcare organization not involving nurses in each stage of the SDLC when purchasing and implementing a new health information technology system. Provide specific examples of potential issues at each stage of the SDLC and explain how the inclusion of nurses may help address these issues. Then, explain whether you had any input in the selection and planning of new health information technology systems in your nursing practice or healthcare organization and explain potential impacts of being included or not in the decision-making process. Be specific and provide examples.

Nurses play a significant role in healthcare organizations. Primarily they are involved in taking care of patients in both inpatient and outpatient medical facilities. Discussion: The Inclusion of Nurses in the Systems Development Life Cycle. Therefore, nurses should be involved in implementing a new health information technology system since they understand patient needs than other healthcare professionals. This paper will focus on the consequences of failing to involve the nurses in the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC).

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First, the healthcare organization’s failure to engage nurses in SDLC leads to a loss of nurses’ attention. Nurses are attentive in each stage of SDLC if they were involved during its initial implementation. Secondly, nurses are not connected to the implemented system since they believe it does not consider their individual goals (French-Bravo & Crow, 2015). Another shortcoming associated with the failure to engage the nurses during the process is a lack of trust. Nurses do not trust that change will yield the desired results if they were not involved in its implementation. The inclusion of nurses can address potential issues that are likely to arise at each SDLC stage (Stanley, 2017). For instance, including nurses in the process will resolve the issue of getting approval that might arise at the planning stage. Secondly, issues associated with understanding the processing needs that might arise at the analysis stage can be resolved through the nurses’ inclusion in the entire process. Discussion: The Inclusion of Nurses in the Systems Development Life Cycle. Thirdly, nurses’ inclusion can resolve issues associated with defining a system-based solution that might arise in the design phase. The inclusion of nurses can resolve issues that are likely to arise at the implementation phase, such as training the users. Finally, potential challenges at the maintenance stage, such as keeping the system healthy, can be resolved by including the nurses (Cherry & Jacob, 2016; Stanley, 2017). Nonetheless, I have not been involved in the planning and developing of a new health information technology systems in my nursing practice.

References

Cherry, B. & Jacob, S. (2016). Contemporary nursing: issues, trends, & management. Amsterdam: Elsevier Health Sciences.

French-Bravo, M. & Crow, G. (2015). Shared Governance: The Role of Buy-In in Bringing About Change. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 20(2). DOI: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol20No02PPT02. Retrieved http://ojin.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Vol-20-2015/No2-May-2015/Articles-Previous-Topics/Role-of-Buy-In-In-Change.html

Stanley, D. (2017). Clinical leadership in nursing and healthcare: values into action (2nd ed.). Hoboken NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Discussion: The Inclusion of Nurses in the Systems Development Life Cycle. Discussion: The Inclusion of Nurses in the Systems Development Life Cycle.