The Role of the Nurse Informaticist in Systems Development and Implementation
The probability of the application of communication and information technology in nursing is limitless. The systems development life cycle is a sequence of actions used in the implementation and planning of change in an organization (Bernstein, 2017). The objective of this paper is to detail the graduate-level nurses that will guide their participation in the implementation team.
Planning
The graduate-level nurse should take part in the system’s development planning level (Wang et al., 2019). The primary role mandated for the nurse leader at the planning stage is to discover the problem scope and come up with the solutions. Nurse leaders should work hand in hand with project team members. They should also relay the steps that they adopt towards searching for probable solutions. They should assist the members of the team in deliberating on the time benefits, cost, and other items that should aid in attaining change in the systems.
Analysis
The role of the nurse in this stage is to assist in prioritizing the requirements of the project, develop and assess the potential alternatives, and make management recommendations. The internal part of this process encompasses communication, the workflow processes, and the tools for decision-making. The participation of the nurse in the analysis stage is crucial to assess the pertinent organizational changes and policies that are essential in the accommodation of new technology and new processes.
New system design
The nurse plays a crucial role in the design stage. This phase plays a vital part in SDLC since it ensures that the general configuration of the software is defined in an effective manner (Sipes, 2019). It also determines the system operation and architecture regarding the hardware, processes, software, retrieval of data, networking, and user interface. The duty of nurses in this phase is crucial in reinforcing the main system objective to enhance the safety of the patient.
Implementation
The stage of implementation encompasses nurses working side by side with the team to enhance the customization, testing, and installation of the system. The nurse’s role in the implementation phase is integral since it encompasses the training of the staff, outcomes’ assessment, and the maintenance of the system. The nurse is also mandated to ensure reciprocal communication between the management and the team. This will aid in soliciting feedback that might be valuable during system redesign for effective outcomes.
Post-implementation support
The nurse in the post-implementation phase participates in offering constant support and sufficient training (Chung et al., 2018). This comprises technology understanding and its impacts to ensure the existence of the new system compliance and acceptance. Besides, it also aids in augmenting adherence and satisfaction to the best practices. Consequently, any probable negative impacts as a result of technical failure will be mitigated. The involvement of the nurse in the post-implementation stage is crucial in pinpointing the flaws, subsequently reinforcing the essence for continuous databases’ maintenance and upgrade.
Conclusion
Nurses play a crucial part in the implementation team. They play an integral role in SDLC facilitation for health care informatics. Their duties comprise creating knowledge of how technology can be used in enhancing care quality. Therefore, nurses should capitalize on this opportunity to work with informaticists and technologists in creating efficient programs, which have a positive influence on both population management and patient care.
References
Bernstein, R. (2017). 5 System Development Life Cycle Phases. Retrieved from: https://online.concordia.edu/computer-science/system-development-life-cycle-phases/. Accessed 5 August 2020.
Chung, Y., Connor, M., Short, K., & Hurtado, T. (2016). The Role of Nursing Informatics on the Collaborative Implementation Team: Secondary Telemetry Alarm Management-Using Smart Phone Technology.
Sipes, C. (2019). Nursing Informatics: Project Management. Application of Nursing Informatics: Competencies, Skills, and Decision-Making, 79.
Wang, J., Gephart, S. M., Mallow, J., & Bakken, S. (2019). Models of collaboration and dissemination for nursing informatics innovations in the 21st century. Nursing Outlook, 67(4), 419-432.