NURS 6051 THE INCLUSION OF NURSES IN THE SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE

Healthcare organizations not involving nurses when there is a change in the healthcare information system can be very detrimental. Technology specialists are experts in the field of technology. In the same way, nurses are experts in nursing; they understand the dynamic flow of patient care and the frequent interactions needed between numerous healthcare providers while providing nursing care. It is important for nurses to understand and for technology engineers to understand how the equipment and the software will need to interface with the facility’s existing systems (Weckman & Janzen, 2009). 

If a healthcare organization does not involve nurses in each state of the Systemic Development Life Cycle (SDLC), it will disrupt because buy-in will not be attainable, and a smooth transition will not be achievable. The first phase is the most important because it is all about defining the customer’s needs in the simplest or clearest possible terms. It about understanding the customer’s business context and constraints, the functions the product must perform, the performance levels it must adhere to, and the external systems must be compatible with. The most common problem in this phase is that customers have a vague idea of what they need. It is up to one to ask the right questions and perform the analysis necessary to turn this amorphous vision into a formally-documented software requirement that can, in turn, be used as the basis for both a project plan and an engineering architecture (Contributor Melonfire, 2006). 

The design phase is just as important as the analysis. It is vital in the development cycle, and great care should be taken.  The appropriate stakeholders should be included in this phase. If stakeholders do not have input into this design planning, it could lead to failure. The implementation phase can significantly delay if strong leaders and key stakeholders are absent while implementing (Naji, 2017). 

If nurses are included during the SDLC phases, they will contribute to selecting and implementing a hospital information system, which is essential to success. As the hospital’s largest user group, their input is needed because they are the key stakeholders. 

I had input when my organization was partnering with Change Healthcare. We were taking on a new staffing application, and I was a stakeholder. On being included, the impact was huge. I felt I had a voice. During the design and implementation phases, it was easy to point out issues right away. Work rules were being created; the system was calculating month to month to tabulate weekends worked per month instead of tabulating weekends worked every 4 weeks. Once pointed out by one of the super users, it was corrected with 2 days.  

Contributor Melonfire. (2007, January 2). Five common errors in requirements analysis (and how to avoid them). Tech Republic. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/five-common-errors-in-requirements-analysis-and-how-to-avoid-them/ 

Naji, C. (n.d.). 5 SDLC project management pitfalls and how to avoid them. Project Times. https://www.projecttimes.com/articles/5-sdlc-project-management-pitfalls-and-how-to-avoid-them.html