Implementation of a new framework into the healthcare system has always been a challenging endeavor considering the variety of aspects that should be considered prior to the process and after its direct incorporation. When speaking of the SDLC system (Systems Development Life Cycle) in the context of the implementation of a new health IT system, nurses’ direct participation in the process of choosing and securing the database is of crucial importance for a number of reasons. To begin with, according to the researchers, each stage of the SDLC model, including planning, analysis, design, implementation, and post-implementation, is closely correlated with the nurses’ daily activities (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2017). When addressing the basic workflow tools, it becomes evident that one of the major stages of health IT system implementation is the identification of the potential issues in terms of system use (“Workflow Tool Examples | AHRQ Digital Healthcare Research: Informing Improvement in Care Quality, Safety, and Efficiency,’ 2013). Thus, it is the nurse who is capable of identifying the major challenges prior to choosing an appropriate vendor.
For example, the research shows that some of the major reasons for the health IT system implementation are the possibility to spend more direct patient-care time with the patients and secure the patients’ data (Gov, n.d.). Hence, when nurses are not involved in the process, which means that they would not feel comfortable using the new database, the overall efficiency of the implementation loses its relevance. Another example of poor communication with nurses is choosing a system not tailored properly for the working pattern established within an organization (Louis, 2011). However, once the nurses become involved in the SDLC process, the choice of vendor and training techniques would be aimed at satisfying some of the major needs of the employees.
Finally, when speaking of personal experience, it would be safe to mention that while some attention was paid to the nurses’ involvement, the extent to which the interest was shown was not sufficient in terms of productivity. That is, the communication with nurses was scarce in the planning stage, whereas the post-implementation process involved constant feedback from the nurses. As a result, the desired outcome was not achieved due to the fact that the facility’s money was already spent on the system that was not relevant for the nursing team.
References
Gov, W. (n.d.). Advancing Excellence in Health Care Impact of Health IT on Nurses’ Time Spent on Direct Patient Care. Web.
Louis, I. (2011). Systems development life cycle (SDLC). Web.
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2017). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Workflow Tool Examples | AHRQ Digital Healthcare Research: Informing Improvement in Care Quality, Safety, and Efficiency. (2013). Web.