Discussion: The Inclusion of Nurses in the Systems Development Life Cycle

Discussion: The Inclusion of Nurses in the Systems Development Life Cycle

To effectively apply any healthcare process and technology system, developers must follow the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC); planning, analysis, design, implementation, and maintenance (Laureate Education, 2019). To develop a new health information system focused on patient care and outcomes, it is crucial to involve nurses to provide substantial inputs (Weckman et al., 2009). Therefore, the lack of nurse contributions in the implementation phase can bring terrible consequences (Laureate Education, 2019). Six months ago, the administration team of my organization (Hospice) decided to switch our electronic documentation system from Citrix to WellSky without involving the field nurses in the SDLC process. Instead of selecting an outside Electronic Medical Record (EMR), if the administration had decided to work with the company team (IT, informatics nurses, and the field nurses) to design an EMR that will meet all the staff needs, they would have saved many complications.

As a result, the administration team had to make many changes to the new system due to staff resistance and negative feedback with the new system. This forced the administration to re-evaluate and gather input from nurses to adjust the new system. If the administration team had involved the nurses in the selection of the new EMR at the beginning, the company would have saved a lot of time and stress. To be successful, the administration should have approached the implementation of the system by working as a team and involving nurses at each stage of the SDLC, from planning to maintenance (feedback). For instance, if nurses are involved in the planning phase, they can share project goals and contributions for significant efficacy. In the analysis, involving nurses in the design phase would have allowed the nurse to develop or select a successful EMR that will fit the patient and healthcare staff’s needs when documenting the head-to-toe assessment and general notes. Nurses should not have been left in the implementation phase since nurses give direct patient care and are active members of the nursing process.

Implementation is the most crucial phase in involving nurse thoughts and feedback. Implementing healthcare systems is essential, but the most important segment involves all stakeholders for successful implementation (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ], 2014). In the healthcare setting, nurses are fundamental stakeholders for system implementation, and for this reason, they need to be involved for successful system implementation. If nurses were initially involved in the scenario mentioned above, the company could have saved time and budget.

References

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2014). Designing and Implementing Medicaid Disease and Care Management Programs: Section 2: Engaging Stakeholders in a Care Management Program. https://www.ahrq.gov/patient-safety/settings/long-termcare/resource/hcbs/medicaidmgmt/mm2.html