The Nurse Leader and the System Development Life Cycle
The Nurse Leader and the System Development Life Cycle
Involving nurse leaders in a systems development project for a healthcare facility is important because their work is instrumental for the success of such an initiative. The nurse leader coordinates the role of graduate-level nurses in the use of the nurse documentation system. Besides, the leader will determine the participation of other nurses in the implementation team. Although a nurse leader has different responsibilities in the implementation team, the role description should be enhanced based on the SDLC stages and tasks for other nurses.
Planning and Requirements Definition
The first step in the SDLC is planning and requirements definition. The stage involves the collection of vital information to determine the need for the new system and create a perfect plan for the implementation process. During the planning stage, the nurse plays the role of providing the necessary information that determines the strengths and weaknesses of the project. The role influences the success of the project because of the necessity of data from the beginning of the project.
Analysis
The analysis is the second phase in the SDLC. The stage involves an examination of the performance of the system based on certain specifics. It entails the assessment of the needs of users of the new system to determine whether it meets the requirements. Nurses affected by the project require an effective documentation system to ease their work. Therefore, they should provide critical information for the successful analysis of the project or solution to their needs.
Design of the New System
Design of the new system is the third phase of the cycle and involves the required specifications, features, and operations that will meet the needs of the end-users by creating the new documentation system. The role of the nurse entails ensuring that the designed system meets their specific needs. The cooperation of the nurses with the project team is critical in the design of the new system.
Implementation
The project team finally develops and implements the new nurse documentation system ready to be used by nurses in providing care to their patients. The implementation involves the development and coding of the software and taking the system through a pilot study to ascertain its efficacy. Nurses play a critical role in the implementation of the system because of the end user’s responsibility. The new system affects the work of the nurses because of the direct implications for their job.
Post-Implementation Support
The phase follows implementation to provide support for the users of the new information system. It also involves efforts to maintain and upgrade the system to continue meeting its organizational objectives. Nurses are the end-users of the documentation system. Hence, they require adequate support from both the implementation team and the information technology experts. Their work influences the continued support because the unit will operate depending on the needs of the nurses using the new system.
Conclusion
Healthcare organizations implement information systems to facilitate the care provision process. Nurse leaders play an essential role as part of the implementation team throughout the project life cycle. They coordinate and support the role of other nurses in the project. All nurses are affected, and at the same time, they influence the new system since they are the end-users who should accept and support it.
