A Nurse’s Role in the Systems Development Life Cycle
Healthcare departments have experienced a revolution since their adoption of information and technology. Globally, nursing services that lack health information technology are insignificant today (Hendriks, Ligthart & Schouteten, 2016). In the nursing department, the healthcare information system has simplified the processes of care to patients enormously. During the development of the HIT systems, health care facilities need to follow an innovative strategy to enrich the nursing healthcare process, as well as ensuring that the end user utilizes the technology to full potential (Hendriks, Ligthart & Schouteten, 2016). This report focusses on the steps followed for the systems development life cycle, how nurses can contribute to the decisions on each step of the system development, and the shortcomings of not involving nurses in the development of HIT.
The Steps for Systems Development Life Cycle
Nurses always have hope that software designers will develop a HIT system that is simple for them to use regardless of the type of assignment they carry in their places of work (Dull, Gelinas, & Wheeler, 2012). In the development of the systems, the technology systems are usually meant to simplify the workload and ensure successful implementation of the manual input data. The steps for the system development life cycle are as follows:
Analysis: The developers analyze how effective the system will be and the end user’s ease of using them.
Designing: It is vital that the system is efficient enough to improve the services offered
Implementation: The developer ensures that the intended output of the system is achieved.
Maintenance: The system is wholly maintained by the IT department for problems.
Steps were undertaken when purchasing and implementing a new HIT system.
In any organization, the office of managing director together with the department of finance is tasked with the purchase of the HIT systems. During the analysis process, the organization decides whether it cheaper and efficient to purchase the HIT system from a third party, or develop one within the firm (Dull, Gelinas, & Wheeler, 2012).This will depend on the desired input data as well as the output. In the process, the organization has to ensure that the characteristics of the developed system are suitable for the health care facility. Therefore, it is vital that the systems cover the aims and requirements of the end user.
Secondly, the design that the HIT system undertakes will determine whether to purchase the system from the third party or have them built within the organization. Furthermore, the infrastructure, as well as the hardware required to support the system installed, is included in the second step.
On completion of the designing process, the third system is implemented. The system (whether purchased or built within), is configured and the training of end users commences (Geetha, Kumar, & Kanth, 2012). Additionally, the testing and conversion of codes are implemented in this step. The final phase is the systems functions and reviews of the post-implementation of the whole project. The problems that arise during this process give the organization insights for future developments.
Nurses’ Contribution
Nurses can contribute tremendously towards the HIT system implementation in healthcare facilities. In the first step of implementation, for example, they can offer ideas that shape the analysis process in accordance with their own knowledge and experiences (Hendriks, Ligthart & Schouteten, 2016). If the nurse is not involved in such processes, it will lead to poor ideas for beginner analysis, as well as making it difficult for the end user to operate the new systems.
There is an obligation to the nurse and end user to contribute towards the whole process of adoption of a new HIT system since the successful operation of the project fully depends on their understanding of the steps of implementation. Therefore, it is imperative that the end user gets involved in the selection of the HIT software and technology.
