Systems Development Life Cycle
The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) consists of phases used in developing a piece of software. It is the plan of how to develop and maintain software, and when necessary, replace that software. In 2007 during my hospital’s transition to a new software system, I was fortunate enough to be included in the process. I did not get involved until the implementation phase, but from then on, until now, I remain very active in the process. I decided to highlight the Waterfall Model of SDLC. The Waterfall Model is a “sequential development process” with each phase continuing in a line (McGonigle and Mastrian, 2012, p. 205).
Feasibility
The first stage in the SDLC is feasibility. The upper echelon of leadership usually decides if they want or need to pursue this software. An initial budget is determined in this phase. Governmental obligations, legal issues, and cost benefit are discussed here. I believe that the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) should be involved here to help understand the implications to the hospital. Hopefully the health care setting has Nursing Informatics (NI) in their institution and is aware of upcoming governmental mandates. Financial penalties or loss of income could be involved if the hospital is not in compliance with software.
Analysis
Analysis consists of compiling data that consists of who is going to use the system, what data will be needed to be put into the system, what data will be needed out of the system, and what it needs to do for the institution. In my hospital at this step, our Information Technology (IT) department and some middle management were involved along with NI. Nursing should be more involved here since they are going to be the primary users....
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...aving input. While we were doing our training sessions, certain parts of our system were still being assembled. It was beneficial to be able to tell nurses with concerns or ideas that we could still address and change the system before it was officially rolled out and we went “Live”. We still have updates and changes all the time. We are learning and improving with ideas coming from our nurses and firsthand experience. Having this ability seems to create satisfaction and ownership that I do not think we would have with it.
References
Congdon, K. (2011, March 25). The role of nurses in successful HIT deployments. Retrieved from http://www.healthitoutcomes.com/doc/role-of-nurses-in-successful-hit-deployments-0001
Hsiao, J., Chang, H., & Chen, R. (2011). A study of factors affecting acceptance of hospital information systems: A nursing perspective. Journal of Nur
Studies by Jha et al. examined surveys completed by the 2010 American Hospital Association Annual Information Technology of 2902 hospitals’ readiness for Meanin...
Though the benefits of IT are numerous, successful adoption into healthcare has been difficult. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (2004) states, “barriers include the cost and complexity of IT implementation, which necessitates significant work process and cultural changes” (p. 158). These challenges, sadly, have resulted in a series of ineffective systems.
This nurse believes that if the appropriate monitoring of safety and security is implemented to protect confidentiality and quality of care that information technology (IT) in healthcare with continue to have a positive impact on patient care and outcomes. This nurse also believes that proper extensive training on these sophisticated systems is very important to patient safety and efficiency of care. With all the new advances in healthcare emerging it will be challenging but can only get better.
In the late 1960s, the first computer systems were installed in hospitals (Murphy,2010). The computer systems started in the basements of hospitals and now are in every nursing unit. Nursing informatics allows for a more efficient and faster delivery of health care. Nursing informatics is a way of keeping patient information properly organized and creating patient care plans.
We as nurses rely on technology, but we also have been taught to beware technology from making judgments for our nursing car. We know that technology can be wrong or mess up just like a human; therefore, we must always be knowledgeable and question our practice, to ensure safe nursing. Technology has pros and cons just like the human person does. “Storing clinical data, translating clinical data into information, linking clinical data and domain knowledge, and aggregating clinical data” is a helpful and time saving use of technology (Yoder-Wise, 2015). However, technology sometimes take precious time away; for example, a study found that “nurses spend up to 40% of their workday meeting ever-increasing demands from the systems in which they work” (Yoder-Wise, 2015). Technology also brings up an “ethical dilemma” as to when and how to use “extraordinary means to prolong life for patients with limited or no decision making capabilities” (Yoder-Wise, 2015). When is technology prolonging pain and hindering a peaceful natural death. Other issues like, “safeguarding patient’s welfare, privacy, and confidentiality” have been called into question with use of patient information in the computer systems (Yoder-Wise, 2015). There has to be safety parameter to protect patients according to HIPPA law, for example firewalls (Yoder-Wise, 2015). However, computerized patient information has also been a live saver and time saver because “provider order entry” is more clearly written,
The first reason that these matters are important in using information technology in nursing is the presence of established legal guidelines how to improve the quality of patients’ care while keeping clients’ personal information confidential and protected. Furthermore, the legislation significantly affecting several aspects of healthcare system, such as the dissemination of information, protection of personal information, use of technical standards, and use of electronic signatures (Hebda,2013). Utilization of informatics within healthcare system implies the easier process of sharing information, decrease amount of
Information Systems/Technology and patient care technology for the improvement and transformation of health care is an important part of the DNP. Technology has transformed every aspect of human life in positive ways. Technology brought efficiency and improved healthcare deliverance system. Healthcare technologies enabled practitioners to better understand disease process and how to implement best treatment plan. DNP programs across the country embrace information systems and technology in their nursing curriculum because, it prepares nursing students to be innovative and deliver best care (AACN, 2006). DNP graduates must have the ability to use technology to analyze and disseminate critical information to find solutions that
During the evolution of technology, in order to remain germane, nursing began to use the science of computers. The act of blending computer information along with healthcare information, building a data base and applying it to the care of the patient, that is what nursing informatics is all about. In order to effectively use the process of nursing informatics, nurses must first truly understand the definition of nursing informatics. There is a large segment of th...
The system development life cycle, also know as the SDLC, is the process of designing and developing a system or software to meet certain requirements. (“System development life,”). This cycle involves many different phases, in which the system is planned, analyzed, designed, implemented, and tested. There are five major phases in the system development life cycle: systems planning, systems analysis, systems design, systems implementation, and systems security and support. Each of these phases has a particular responsibility and certain tasks are perfumed in each phase.
Nurses play an important role in the sharing of patient information between doctors and the patients or other caregivers. Hence, they will inform the IT expert on key components that may arise with in the system.
Given the time, it takes to develop large sophisticated software systems it not possible to define the problem and build the solution in a single step. Requirements will often change throughout a projects development, due to architectural constraints, customer’s needs or a greater understanding of the original problem. Iteration allows greater understanding of a project through successive refinements and addresses a projects highest risk items at every stage of its lifecycle. Ideally each iteration ends up with an executable release – this helps reduce a projects risk profile, allows greater customer feedback and help developers stay focused.
There are many sources of information out on the World Wide Web (WWW) regarding health care informatics groups. Sources that can, and will, be significant in the ever evolving area of technology in the health care setting. This paper looks at three informatics groups that have a large impact on informatics. Also, the specialty area of nursing informatics will be evaluated and will look at the future trends and challenges that may be encountered.
Software has become an integral component in the way organisations conduct business. The impact of and reliance on software within organisations is increasing (Pesola, Eskeli, Parvianeni, Kommeren & Gramza, 2008; Xu & Brinkkemper, 2007). Software development is becoming a global phenomenon as organisations have adopted networked development environments and have globally outsourced portions of their development activities (Valimaki & Kaariainen, 2008). According to Lacheiner and Ramler (2011) software development is a complex process as it requires interaction between diverse individuals, the creation of comprehensive software development documents and comprises interdependent activities. Kaariainen and Valimaki (2008) argue that as an outcome of increased competition, the ability to produce products as scheduled is important to any organisation. This has resulted in organisations investing in technologies and frameworks that manage and support their software development processes (Jwo, Hsu & Cheng, 2010). Application Lifecycle Management Technology (ALMT) is proposed as a solution for the management of software development activities.
The Iterative development process was established due to the problems experienced with the Waterfall system process. In this case the project is divided into small manageable parts. Design results are available earlier in the process providing valuable feedback for the next process step. Once individual process steps are completed they can go into production immediately and not delayed till the last completed process as demonstrated in the waterfall model.
According to Blais and Hayes (2011) “New technologies, particularly information systems, are changing and improving nursing practice, education, research, and administration” (p. 290). However, although the use of technology and informatics can be very beneficial for nursing education and practice, nurses and student nurses have to be aware of the challenges of these technological changes to maintain nursing care quality. Currently, technologies and informatics are used in computerized patient records, evidence-based practice, or telehealth among other things. Moreover, “Several issues related to the increased use of technology in nursing include ethics, confidentiality, data integrity and caring” (Blais & Hayes, 2011, p.