Information systems support the quality and safety of patient care. Since nurses use such systems, they should be actively involved in their acquisition and implementation. Although nurses might not be the actual designers or purchasers of information systems, they should be engaged to prevent resistance and inefficient use.
Failure to involve nurses in the stages of the SDLC can create various challenges. During the planning and requirements definition, nurses should be consulted to offer information that would inform relevant acquisition (Brennan & Bakken, 2015). Inadequate information means that the implementers cannot effectively conduct the analysis step. Design and implementation will also fail because the project team will design an inappropriate system that does not meet the needs of the nurses (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2017). Finally, they will implement a program that may risk resistance from the primary users.
The inclusion of nurses can alleviate the problems because the project team will have sufficient data from the beginning. They will conduct a suitable analysis and create project specifications that match the needs of the nurses who are the actual users. Engagement will guarantee their support for the change and prevent possible resistance (Hollnagel & Braithwaite, 2019). Success in health care systems depends on efficient collaboration between the project team and nurses.
I played an essential role in the selection and planning of the new health information technology system in my nursing practice. Since it was a patient electronic records system, my inclusion in the process helped to acquire a product that meets the needs of a caregiver.
The involvement of nurses in the acquisition and development of information systems is critical. Nurses are the actual implementers and users of the systems. Therefore, leaders should collaborate with them to prevent resistance or communication challenges during the implementation process.