The systems development life cycle (SDLC) is a model for planning and implementing
change within an organization. It is important for many individuals to be represented in
the process, especially the end users of the system or the employees who must live with the
change. As informatics become more and more widespread throughout the health care
field, collaboration between information technology (IT) professionals and health care
practitioners is becoming increasingly important. The nurse informaticist is able to
combine the perspective of the information technology side with the clinical nursing
perspective.
While the titles and specific responsibilities of nurse informaticists vary across
organizations and practice settings, the fundamental purpose of the role remains the same.
Nurse informaticists synthesize their knowledge of how technology can improve health care
with an understanding of clinical practice and workflow. This is why nurse informaticists
can be instrumental in facilitating the SDLC for informatics in health care. For this
Discussion, you examine the relationship between the nurse informaticist and the use of the
SDLC.
To prepare:
Review the information in this week’s Learning Resources on the SDLC and the
role of the nurse informaticist. Reflect on Chapter 1 of the Dennis, Wixom, and
Roth course text and consider how the information about the systems analyst role
translates into nursing and health care.
Consider a recent change in your organization related to the implementation of a
new technology or system. How was this change handled? What was the general
SDLC process? Who was involved, and what were the outcomes?
Identify whether your organization (or one with which you are familiar) has a
formal title or position for the nurse informaticist. This position may be called by a
different name, such as nurse informatics specialist or informatics analyst, so be
sure to review the position description.
If your organization has a position for the nurse informaticist, what are the
responsibilities of that position? If your organization does not have such a position,
conduct research in the Walden Library and at credible online sources on the role of
the nurse informaticist.
Reflect on the role of the nurse informaticist in the overall health care field. How is
this position connected to the SDLC? Assess the benefits of having this specialized
position within health care organizations and involving the nurse informaticist in
the SDLC.
Post by tomorrow 8/30/16 550 words in APA format with a minimum of 3 references from
the list provided under Required Readings. Apply the level 1 headings as numbered below:
1) A description of how the systems development life cycle is utilized in your organization
(Hospital), or in one with which you are familiar, and assess its effectiveness.
2) Assess the role of the nurse informaticist in your organization. If the nurse informaticist
is not a current position within your organization, provide a description of the generally
accepted role of the nurse informaticist based on this week’s Learning Resources and your
own research.
3) Explain why it is important for the nurse informaticist to be involved in the SDLC
process and the overall organizational benefits of having such involvement.
The Systems Development Life Cycle and The Nurse Informaticist
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The Systems Development Life Cycle and The Nurse Informaticist
In today’s swiftly developing healthcare landscape, the collaboration between the systems development life cycle and the nurse informaticist grasp the key to unlocking the born-gain possibility of technology in patient care. The system development life cycle is an arranged perspective used in the technology industry to evolve and execute efficient and effectual information systems. It entails a series of stages, guiding the entire procedure, from initial planning and needs gathering to system deployment and maintenance. Within the healthcare field, the role of nurse informatics is essential in the victorious execution and utilization of information systems (Kokol et al., 2018). Nurse informatics possesses a distinctive blend of clinical expertise and informatics knowledge, helping them to bridge the gap between healthcare providers and technology. During the system development life cycle, nurse informatics collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, ensuring that the requirement and workflows of nurses, among other healthcare professionals, are taken into account and integrated into the system design. They ardently take part in needs gathering, system testing, and training the user, where they advocate for safety, efficient documentation, and effective communication. By manipulating their clinical knowledge and informatics skills, nurse informatics plays an essential role in orienting technology solutions with the requirements of healthcare organizations, eventually improving patient care, enhancing outcomes, and encouraging innovation in healthcare setting. This article will describe how the systems development lifecycle is utilized in a nursing home, the role of nurse informatics in a nursing home, the importance of the nurse informaticist being involved in the system development life cycle process and the overall organizational benefits of having such involvement.
Utilization of the System Development Life Cycle in a Nursing Home
The system development life cycle is a constructed perspective used in the nursing home field, ensuring effective evolvement and execution of information systems, supporting numerous aspects of residents’ care and administrative functioning. The system development life cycle starts with recognizing requirements and needs, particularly in the nursing home, like electronic health record management, medication administration, and resident programming (Ogundipe et al., 2022). In the planning stage, stakeholders, involving nursing staff, administrators, and information technology professionals, cooperate to define project goals, assess available resources, and develop a timeline. The development stage entails designing and developing the system, frequently including customized software solutions or combing existing programs. The execution stage aims to test, train staff members, and transition to the new system. Once executed, the system undergoes progressive assessment and maintenance, ensuring maximum performance, protection, and adherence to regulatory measures. During the entire system development life cycle, collaboration and feedback among nursing home staff and information technology are essential, ensuring that the system meets the specific needs of the nursing home environment, improving resident care, efficacy, and overall functioning.
The Role of the Nursing Informaticist in Nursing Home
The role of a nurse informaticist in a nursing home is vital in joining the gap between nursing practice and information technology. Nurse informaticists are specialized professionals possessing a distinctive blend of nursing knowledge and expertise in health information systems. They play a crucial role in the design, execution, and optimization of healthcare information systems within the nursing home setting. At first, nurse informaticists partner with nursing staff, administrators, and information technology professionals to recognize the nursing home’s specific needs and requirements (Furukawa et al., 2020). They collect and analyze data connected to resident care, documentation procedures, and medication management, among other nursing practices. By comprehending the workflow and information flow within the nursing home, nurse informaticists assist in selecting and customizing appropriate software solutions to improve efficacy, accuracy, and patient safety. Secondly, nurse informaticists are accountable for the execution and integration of health information systems (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2021). They operate closely with the information technology team to compose and customize the software to meet the distinctive needs of the nursing home. This entails designing data entry forms, developing standardized nursing evaluation and care plans, and ensuring interoperability among distinct systems. Nurse informaticists also conduct immense testing to recognize and resolve issues or glitches before the system goes live.
Moreover, nurse informatics offers critical training and support to nursing home staff. They create training programs and educational materials, ensuring that healthcare professionals are accomplished in using the new information systems. Nurse informaticists also serve as a resource for troubleshooting and offering continuing support as staff members adjust to the new technology. Their role is crucial in ensuring that nursing staff can efficiently utilize the information system to enhance resident care and streamline workflows. In addition, nurse informaticists are included in quality enhancement initiatives within the nursing home (Silver et al., 2018). They analyze data generated by the information system to recognize trends, patterns, and areas of enhancement. Nurse informaticists partner with interdisciplinary teams to create evidence-based protocols and directions, promoting best practices in nursing care. They also observe the performance of the information systems to ensure data integrity, privacy, and compliance with regulatory measures. Comprehensively, nurse informaticists play a critical role in a nursing home, acting as the liaison between nursing practice and technology. Their expertise in healthcare informatics assists them in maximizing information systems, training staff, driving quality enhancement, and accordingly contributing to improving resident care, safety, and operational efficacy within the nursing home environment.
Importance of the Nurse Informaticist to be Involved in the System Development Life Cycle Process
It is essential for the nurse informaticist to be ardently employed in the system development life cycle process because of the significant influence technology has on healthcare delivery. The nurse informaticist possesses a distinctive blend of nursing expertise and informatics knowledge, making them helpful in joining the gap between clinical practice and technology execution. Their inclusion ensures that the developed healthcare software systems align with the need and workflows of nurses, accordingly improving patient care and safety. By ardently participating in the system development life cycle process, the nurse informaticists can contribute their insights and expertise in areas like needs gathering, design, testing, and execution (Risling & Risling, 2020). This inclusion assists in developing user-friendly interfaces, integrating clinical decision support tools to ensure data security and integrity and maximize system usability for nurses. There are numerous originations benefits of having nurse informaticists included in the system development life cycle process. Firstly, it results in the development of tailored solutions, addressing the specific requirements of nurses, thereby enhancing workflow efficacy and lessening errors. Secondly, their inclusion encourages effective communication and partnership between the nursing staff, information technology professionals, and software developers, leading to a cohesive and victorious execution. Thirdly, nurse informaticists advocate for using standardized terminologies and interoperability measures, enhancing seamless data exchange and progression of care across distinct systems (Schulz et al., 2019). At last, their expertise contributes to training and supporting initiatives, encouraging nurses to utilize and benefit from the executed technologies fully. Comprehensively, including nurse informaticists in the system development life cycle process ensures the victorious integration of technology into healthcare, emphatically influencing patient outcomes, nurse contentment, and organization efficacy.
Conclusion
The system development life cycle plays a critical role in the nursing informatics industry, specifically within nursing homes. Utilizing the system development life cycle in a nursing home ensures the evolvement and execution of efficient and effective information systems, supporting the delivery of high-quality care. The nursing informaticist plays a central role in the process, serving as a liaison between healthcare professionals and technology experts. The inclusion in the system development life cycle process is vital, ensuring that the distinctive needs of nursing homes are met and that technology solutions are modified to improve resident care, safety, and overall operation efficacy. Therefore, identifying the necessity of nurse informaticists in the system development life cycle process is crucial for the successful execution and utilization of information systems in a nursing home.
References
Furukawa, M., Harrison, L., Mugford, Y., Pollack, E., Selsky, S., & Wellbaum, D. (2020). Nursing Informatics Fellowship: Developing Future Nurse Informaticists at UCLA Health. Journal of Informatics Nursing, 5(1), 24-41.
Kokol, P., Saranto, K., & Blažun Vošner, H. (2018). eHealth and health informatics competencies: A systemic analysis of literature production based on bibliometrics. Kybernetes, 47(5), 1018-1030. https://doi.org/10.1108/K-09-2017-0338
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. (2021). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Ogundipe, A., Sim, T. F., & Emmerton, L. (2022). Health information communication technology evaluation frameworks for pharmacist prescribing: A systematic scoping review. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2022.09.010
Risling, T. L., & Risling, D. E. (2020). Advancing nursing participation in user-centered design. Journal of Research in Nursing, 25(3), 226-238. https://doi.org/10.1177/1744987120913590
Schulz, S., Stegwee, R., & Chronaki, C. (2019). Standards in healthcare data. Fundamentals of clinical data science, 19-36.
Silver, H. J., Pratt, K. J., Bruno, M., Lynch, J., Mitchell, K., & McCauley, S. M. (2018). Effectiveness of the malnutrition quality improvement initiative on practitioner malnutrition knowledge and screening, diagnosis, and timeliness of malnutrition-related care provided to older adults admitted to a tertiary care facility: a pilot study. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 118(1), 101-109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2017.08.111