Discussion: The Systems Development Life Cycle and the Nurse Informaticist

The systems development life cycle (SDLC) is a model for planning and implementing change within an organization. It is important for many individuals to be represented in the process, especially the end users of the system or the employees who must live with the change. As informatics become more and more widespread throughout the health care field, collaboration between information technology (IT) professionals and health care practitioners is becoming increasingly important. The nurse informaticist is able to combine the perspective of the information technology side with the clinical nursing perspective.

While the titles and specific responsibilities of nurse informaticists vary across organizations and practice settings, the fundamental purpose of the role remains the same. Nurse informaticists synthesize their knowledge of how technology can improve health care with an understanding of clinical practice and workflow. This is why nurse informaticists can be instrumental in facilitating the SDLC for informatics in health care. For this Discussion, you examine the relationship between the nurse informaticist and the use of the SDLC.

To prepare:

Review the information in this week's Learning Resources on the SDLC and the role of the nurse informaticist. Reflect on Chapter 1 of the Dennis, Wixom, and Roth course text and consider how the information about the systems analyst role translates into nursing and health care.

Consider a recent change in your organization related to the implementation of a new technology or system. How was this change handled? What was the general SDLC process? Who was involved, and what were the outcomes?

Identify whether your organization (or one with which you are familiar) has a formal title or position for the nurse informaticist. This position may be called by a different name, such as nurse informatics specialist or informatics analyst, so be sure to review the position description.

If your organization has a position for the nurse informaticist, what are the responsibilities of that position? If your organization does not have such a position, conduct research in the Walden Library and at credible online sources on the role of the nurse informaticist.

Reflect on the role of the nurse informaticist in the overall health care field. How is this position connected to the SDLC? Assess the benefits of having this specialized position within health care organizations and involving the nurse informaticist in the SDLC.

Post by tomorrow 8/30/16 550 words in APA format with a minimum of 3 references from the list provided under Required Readings. Apply the level 1 headings as numbered below:

1) A description of how the systems development life cycle is utilized in your organization (Hospital), or in one with which you are familiar, and assess its effectiveness.

2) Assess the role of the nurse informaticist in your organization. If the nurse informaticist is not a current position within your organization, provide a description of the generally accepted role of the nurse informaticist based on this week's Learning Resources and your own research.

3) Explain why it is important for the nurse informaticist to be involved in the SDLC process and the overall organizational benefits of having such involvement.

Required Readings

Dennis, A., Wixom, B. H., & Roth, R. M. (2015). Systems analysis and design (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Chapter 1, "The Systems Analyst and Information Systems Development" (pp. 1-34)

In this chapter, the authors clarify the relationship between systems analysts and information systems development. The chapter also covers the basic business applications of information systems.

McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2015). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.

Chapter 10, "Systems Development Life Cycle: Nursing Informatics and Organizational Decision Making"

Chapter 11, "Administrative Information Systems"

Quality, organizational decision making is a requisite to successful advancements in technology. This chapter explores how workplaces respond to the necessity for improved information systems.

Anderson, C., & Sensmeier, J. (2011). Nursing informatics scope of practice expands, salaries increase. Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 29(5), 319-320.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

This article assesses the growing need for informaticists in the health care industry. The combination of clinical and information technology experience that informaticists possess makes them invaluable in assisting in the health care industry's transition into a heavier use of information systems.

Houston, S. M. (2012). Nursing's role in IT projects. Nursing Management, 43(1), 18-19.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

The societal advancements of information technology (IT) are major factors in the governance of health care organizations. This article gives an overview of how nurse informaticists blend their clinical know-how with IT to improve workflow and patient care.

McLane, S., & Turley, J. P. (2011). Informaticians: How they may benefit your healthcare organization. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 41(1), 29-35.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Nursing informaticists help guide the implementation of information systems into health care organizations. The authors of this article evaluate how informaticists effect change in management and improve meaningful use in nursing practice.

Prestigiacomo, J. (2012). The rise of the senior nurse informaticist. Healthcare Informatics, 29(2), 38-43.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

The author of this article highlights the conditions of the health care industry and its growing reliance on data-driven decision making. Nurse informaticists are important in this transition, playing a major role in the development and utilization of electronic health records (EHRs).

Warm, D., & Thomas, B. (2011). A review of the effectiveness of the clinical informaticist role. Nursing Standard, 25(44), 35-38.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Health care organizations rely heavily on information management and technology for organizational maintenance and patient care. This article examines the clinical informaticist's role in facilitating the implementation of health information technology and spearheading clinical risk management.