Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation

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.(Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay)

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:(Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay)

• Planning and requirements definition
• Analysis
• Design of the new system
• Implementation(Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay)
• 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.
• Dont include title page

Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay

Nursing roles have evolved drastically owing to the development of modern healthcare systems. Also, advanced research, education, and technology have improved care quality and patient satisfaction. Ideally, current healthcare systems require nurses to strengthen Health Information Technology (HIT) skills and technical knowledge to venture into diverse nursing specialties like informatics. Therefore, nurses should be included in developing and adopting new technology as current nursing practice calls for using technology to improve care quality. The System Development Lifecycle (SDL) is crucial in implementing HIT. It offers comprehensive step-to-step processes and frameworks necessary to adopt new technologies, such as documentation systems in the healthcare system (Mohan, 2022). This paper will discuss the roles of nurse informaticists in implementing a new HIT using the SDL approach to achieve the project’s goals.(Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay)

Planning and Requirements Definition

The first SDL implementation step will be planning and requirements definition. This stage will define the project’s scope and problems while suggesting potential implementation strategies. Feasibility tests can establish the validity of potential solutions, set measurable outcomes, plan project schedules, and acquire the necessary resources to complete the project. At this stage, the nurse will collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to develop the deliverables of the project. Through critical knowledge acquired during clinical practice, the nurses will collaborate with the team to set the project’s goals, implementation strategies, and expected measurable outcomes.(Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay)

Analysis

The second step focuses on the practical application of the HIT. This step aids in determining the root cause of a problem, thus creating a need for change. Identifying a problem allows the team members to suggest and submit potential solutions for analysis to determine the best one to address the needs and meet the project’s goals. Thus, system analysis will help identify the facility’s needs and solutions and define an appropriate timeline to meet the requirements.(Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay)

In this case, the nurse can conduct a functional assessment and finalize the healthcare facility’s need for the new HIT system. For instance, the nurse may identify the need to use the HIT system to protect patients’ information through safe data documentation systems or to promote ease of access and sharing of patient healthcare information (Strudwick et al., 2019). The nurse can review the project to ensure it aligns with organizational goals and policies and the scope of their practice. The information obtained is crucial for the implementation team to make improvements or alterations before commencing the design and development phases.(Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay)

Design of the New System

The design phase focuses on suitable specifications, features, and operations to meet the requirements of the proposed HIT system. The stage will help the team identify and define the system’s structures while creating the necessary infrastructure to implement the project (Mohan, 2022). The end users use this stage to identify and discuss the needs for applications such as networking and the ability to complete and accomplish desired goals. In this case, the nurse has a role in reinforcing the primary purpose of the proposed HIT system, which is to achieve organizational goals such as improving quality, affordable care, efficient service delivery, and patient satisfaction. The nurse may call for the customization of the system to integrate all healthcare services in the facility.(Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay)

Implementation

This stage entails system integration, testing, and installation and use of the newly developed HIT system. Integration and testing will allow the team members to conduct quality control. The team will test the components against the anticipated outcomes and assess whether the healthcare facility can adopt the system. Thus, the team can update their execution and plan to improve to achieve desired outcomes. Subsequently, the new HIT system is put into production and evaluating its performance. The nurse will implement the system to complete their tasks, assess its performance, and provide feedback on the system’s work. The nurse will also train other healthcare professionals to use the system. Through evaluation, the nurse can collaborate with the implementation team to redesign the system to achieve success.(Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay)

Post-Implementation

The System Development Lifecycle (SDL) does not end when the new HIT system has been implemented. Therefore, the implementation team should maintain the new system and prepare to handle issues the end users report concerning the system. For instance, the team is responsible handling errors that occur and affect the system. The team also offers updates and adjustments to the system to ensure that it matches the users’ needs. The nurse collaborates with the implementation team to conduct evaluations to improve the new system. Evaluations can be performed through usability tests to assess the number of health professionals who can use the system to complete their tasks or determine technology acceptance (Ehrler et al., 2019). As a result, they will use obtained results to customize the system based on the use and feedback provided by the users. The nurse will also collaborate with the implementation team to conduct evaluations to improve the new system. The nurse must offer continued staff training to ensure they understand the new HIT system, sustain compliance, and follow recommended guidelines concerning the systems to improve care quality.(Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay)

Benefits and Challenges of Involving Nurses

Nurses’ involvement in the project will be beneficial since they know the problems that should be addressed in daily health practice and the expected outcomes. In this case, nurses offer vital insights towards developing appropriate HIT systems to address healthcare professionals’ problems. Nurses also ensure that suitable strategies are designed, preventing errors and delays from indecisiveness and disagreements about the kind of HIT system to be developed and adopted. However, involving nurses may be challenging as it may cause disagreements and delays when the nurses have a conflict of interest during its implementation. For instance, nurses may create goals for personal gratification instead of the employees’ general welfare.(Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay)

Conclusion

Advanced research, education, and technology have improved care quality and patient satisfaction. Current healthcare systems require nurses to strengthen Health Information Technology (HIT) skills and technical knowledge to join diverse nursing specialties like informatics. Therefore, nurses should be part of the implementation team that drives the adoption of new HIT systems, such as documentation systems. Nurses play instrumental roles in the System Development Lifecycle (SDL) that offers planning, analysis, designing, implementation, and post-implementation phases towards adopting the HIT systems. They collaborate with relevant stakeholders such as IT specialists, software developers, and health analytics to adopt new HIT to improve the quality of care and patient safety.(Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay)

References

Ehrler, F., Lovis, C., & Blondon, K. (2019). A mobile phone app for bedside nursing care: Design and development using an adapted software development life cycle model. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 7(4), e12551. https://doi.org/10.2196/12551

Mohan, V. (2022). System development life cycle. Clinical Informatics Study Guide, 177-183. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93765-2_12

Strudwick, G., Booth, R. G., Bjarnadottir, R. I., Rossetti, S. (., Friesen, M., Sequeira, L., Munnery, M., & Srivastava, R. (2019). The role of nurse managers in the adoption of health information technology. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 49(11), 549-555. https://doi.org/10.1097/nna.0000000000000810

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the role of the informatics nurse in the SDLC?

The informatics nurse plays a crucial role in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) by acting as a liaison between healthcare providers and IT professionals. They contribute to the analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation phases of healthcare software systems, ensuring that these systems meet the clinical and operational needs of the healthcare facility. Informatics nurses also help in user training, system testing, and ongoing optimization to enhance patient care and workflow efficiency.(Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay)

What is the role of a nurse informaticist in a clinical systems implementation life cycle?

A nurse informaticist plays a critical role in the clinical systems implementation life cycle by bridging the gap between healthcare and technology. They collaborate with clinical staff, IT professionals, and stakeholders to analyze workflow processes, identify requirements, and design effective technology solutions. Their expertise ensures that clinical systems are tailored to meet the needs of healthcare professionals, optimizing patient care, safety, and overall operational efficiency.(Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay)

What are the roles and responsibilities of a nurse informaticist?

A nurse informaticist plays a critical role in healthcare by bridging the gap between nursing practice and technology. Their responsibilities include optimizing and managing electronic health records (EHR) systems, ensuring the effective integration of technology to enhance patient care, and providing training and support to healthcare staff on the use of digital tools and systems. They also collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to analyze data for quality improvement and to implement evidence-based practices for better patient outcomes.(Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay)

What is the role of the nurse leader in implementing and integrating informatics into nursing practice?

The role of a nurse leader in implementing and integrating informatics into nursing practice involves guiding the adoption and use of technology solutions that enhance patient care, safety, and efficiency. They collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to assess organizational needs, select appropriate informatics systems, and oversee their integration. Nurse leaders also provide education, training, and ongoing support to nursing staff to ensure seamless utilization of informatics tools while promoting a culture of continuous improvement in healthcare delivery.(Role of the Nurse Informacist in Systems Development and Implementation Essay)