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.
• 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.
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
Sample Answer
In the scenario of implementing a new nursing documentation system, the nurse manager's foresight to include a nurse leader on the implementation team is critical. This strategic decision aligns perfectly with best practices for successful health information technology (HIT) adoption, particularly within the framework of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
Review of SDLC Steps and Reflection on the Scenario
Let's briefly recap the typical phases of the SDLC and then reflect on the scenario:
Planning and Requirements Definition: Identifying the need, defining project scope, setting goals, and detailing what the system must do from a user perspective.
Scenario Reflection: This is the most crucial stage for the nurse leader's involvement. If the system's requirements aren't rooted in actual nursing workflows and needs, it's doomed to fail usability and acceptance tests.
Analysis: Deeper dive into "how" the system will meet requirements, often involving current system analysis, process mapping, and detailed functional specifications.
Scenario Reflection: The nurse leader's expertise in current workflows, pain points, and ideal future states is invaluable here to ensure the system genuinely optimizes nursing practice.