Transforming Nursing and Health Through Technology

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. Transforming Nursing and Health Through Technology

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

please include a conclusion.

Failed HIT (Healthcare Information Technology) in healthcare organizations is a common and widespread issue that is determined by the reality gap and design of a system. Due to the socio-technical nature of HIT systems, it is important that developers design and develop user-centered systems. To decrease the risks of developing a failed HIT system, McGonigle & Mastrian (2018) propose that, key considerations for developers include; active participation of users, use of better tools for remodeling all processes in care, and good management in each stage of development. The SDLC is a step by step process of implementing a new HIT system that uses a waterfall model in managing and developing HIT projects. It is particularly used in healthcare organizations since it is efficient, effective and guarantees the inclusion of relevant stakeholders and processes in each stage of development. This paper discusses the roles of a graduate-level nurse on the implementation team for HIT. Including nurse leaders in every stage of the SDLC supports the design and development of a user-centered system that addresses all patient care and staff needs.

ORDER A PLAGIARISM -FREE PAPER NOW

Discussion-Including the Graduate Level Nurse in Each Stage of the SDLC (Systems Development Life Cycle)

Planning and Requirements Definition

This is the most vital initial stage of the SDLC   which guides the entire developmental cycle process. According to Thomas,  Seifert & Joyner (2016), since the graduate-level nurse has the relevant clinical skills and knowledge of a hospital’s workflow processes, he/she can help to describe and determine the scope of the problem, to identify relevant solutions, resource collection, requirements identification in output formulation, and determining the timeline of designing and developing the HIT system. Transforming Nursing and Health Through Technology

Analysis

In this stage, the developers of a HIT system determine the processes and workflows of a new system. Therefore, the roles of the graduate-level nurse may include but are not limited to; explaining, identifying, and discussing the main functional components of a previous system such as the tools for decision-making that must be integrated into a system. According to Ronquillo, Currie & Rodney (2016), this information is vital for determining the components to eliminate and increase the performance of a HIT system.

Design

In this phase, the HIT developers in collaboration with relevant stakeholders of a healthcare organization agree on the data, reports, and mockups to be generated by a HIT system. This requires that a HIT system is configured with the right architecture and definitions (Schoville & Titler, 2015). A graduate-level nurse can assist with examining work and process flowcharts to ensure that they follow an appropriate performance path that guarantees the correct output. The HIT team can use the inputs of the graduate-level nurse to customize the system and ensure that it can be integrated with other specialties as well as supports clinical decision making.

Implementation

In the implementation phase, the graduate-level nurse can assist with planning for healthcare staff meetings, obtaining feedback, pinpointing major implementation barriers and enablers, promoting staff compliance with the new HIT requirements through positive reinforcements, and identifying areas that require modifications.

Post-Implementation Support

This is the final phase of the SDLC whose processes entail measures to promote compliance, use, and maintenance of the HIT system.  Therefore to participate in this stage, an individual must know about all activities and processes that occurred in the previous phases.  A graduate-level nurse can help in identifying and addressing potential knowledge gaps about the HIT among healthcare staff.  According to Thomas, Seifert & Joyner (2016), this also helps to identify flaws that may hinder the performance, accuracy, and efficiency of a system. Transforming Nursing and Health Through Technology

Conclusion

Today, most healthcare institutions in the US   have implemented HIT systems to promote workflow processes and clinical decision making. The SDLC is a step by step process of implementing a new HIT system. It is also efficient, effective and guarantees the inclusion of relevant stakeholders and processes in each stage of development. The SDLC has five stages namely; planning and requirements definition, analysis, new system design, implementation, and post-implementation. Including a graduate-level nurse in each stage supports the design and development of a user-centered system that addresses all patient care and staff needs.

References

McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2018). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning

Ronquillo, C., Currie, L. M., & Rodney, P. (2016). The evolution of data-information-knowledge-wisdom in nursing informatics. Advances in nursing science, 39(1), E1-E18. DOI: 10.1097/ANS.0000000000000107

Schoville, R. R., & Titler, M. G. (2015). Guiding healthcare technology implementation: a new integrated technology implementation model. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 33(3), 99-107. DOI: 10.1097/CIN.0000000000000130

Thomas, T. W., Seifert, P. C., & Joyner, J. C. (2016). Registered nurses leading innovative changes. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 21(3). DOI: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol21No03Man03

Transforming Nursing and Health Through Technology