NURS 8210 WEEK 6 DESIGNING A NURSING INFORMATICS PROJECT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION
Walden University NURS 8210 WEEK 6 DESIGNING A NURSING INFORMATICS PROJECT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION-Step-By-Step Guide
This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Walden University NURS 8210 WEEK 6 DESIGNING A NURSING INFORMATICS PROJECT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.
How to Research and Prepare for NURS 8210 WEEK 6 DESIGNING A NURSING INFORMATICS PROJECT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION
Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Walden University NURS 8210 WEEK 6 DESIGNING A NURSING INFORMATICS PROJECT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.
After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.
How to Write the Introduction for NURS 8210 WEEK 6 DESIGNING A NURSING INFORMATICS PROJECT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION
The introduction for the Walden University NURS 8210 WEEK 6 DESIGNING A NURSING INFORMATICS PROJECT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.
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How to Write the Body for NURS 8210 WEEK 6 DESIGNING A NURSING INFORMATICS PROJECT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION
After the introduction, move into the main part of the NURS 8210 WEEK 6 DESIGNING A NURSING INFORMATICS PROJECT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.
Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.
How to Write the Conclusion for NURS 8210 WEEK 6 DESIGNING A NURSING INFORMATICS PROJECT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION
After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.
How to Format the References List for NURS 8210 WEEK 6 DESIGNING A NURSING INFORMATICS PROJECT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION
The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.
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Sample Answer for NURS 8210 WEEK 6 DESIGNING A NURSING INFORMATICS PROJECT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION
Nursing Informatics Project
Informatics plays a crucial role in improving patient outcomes and work efficiency in patient care settings. Therefore, it is important for nurses to identify potential problems impacting patient outcomes and design a relevant informatics project that can be used to help solve the identified issue (Booth et al.,2021). The identified practice gap revolves around inconsistent medication education and reconciliation processes during the transition within the Veteran Administration (VA) and the private sector due to poor medication education. The current process at the VA (CBOCS) lacks standardized tools to properly educate the veterans regarding medication dosage, purpose, and time frames, potentially leading to discrepancies and errors. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore an informatics project that bridges the identified gap by implementing a standardized education tool, such as the medication reconciliation process during transitions of care, to enhance patient safety and reduce medication errors.
Conversation With Nurse Leader On What Is Needed to Develop Scope and Charter
The conversation centered around the need to improve the medication education and reconciliation process for the veterans within the organization. The gap in medication education and reconciliation process during patient transitions, particularly with VA, is a significant one, and such inconsistency poses risks to patient safety, hence calling for attention. Another part of the conversation also focused on the development of scope and charter documents. Formulation of these documents needs appropriate planning. As such, it is important to understand the objectives of the project, state-specific goals, and targeted outcomes, which, in this case, are the medication education and reconciliation process for the veterans. It is also important to identify and analyze the stakeholders (Shirley, 2020). Such an analysis helps in understanding their expectations, concerns, and needs, which are key to obtaining stakeholder buy-in as well as support.
Coming up with a project scope requires the definition of project boundaries and writing down what should be included and what has to be excluded. It is also important to articulate the deliverables and consider specific constraints such as resources, budget, and time. The next requirement is the development of a work breakdown structure, which presents the project into manageable components (Shirley, 2020). The timeline and schedule should also be explored to ensure that the proposed project stays on track. Identification of the required resources in time is also important to ensure that the resources are acquired in time. The other requirement is a risk management plan which can help assess possible challenges and risks that can affect the success of the project.
The SWOT Analysis
SWOT analysis entails an exploration of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats involved in a project. Through the analysis, it is positive to have an insight into the organization’s situation and appropriately identify areas for improvement. Therefore, the organization can leverage its strengths, address weaknesses, mitigate the threats, and capitalize on the opportunities (Yoder-Wise & Sportsman, 2022). Therefore, the table below show the SWOT analysis conducted regarding the project.
Table 1
SWOT Analysis
| Strengths –Presence infrastructure for implementing informatics. -Expertise of the facility healthcare professionals. -Access to patient data and healthcare resources. -Support from the organization’s leaders. | Weaknesses –Possible resistance to proposed change by the staff. -Inadequate standardized tools for medication reconciliation and education -Inconsistent medication education and reconciliation process within the VA |
| Opportunities -Potential improvement of patient safety and outcomes. -Reduction of medication errors and improving patient satisfaction. -Effective collaboration with stakeholders for a successful implementation of the project
| Threats -Competing priorities within the organization -Limited resources and budget for the project. -Regulatory and legal requirements connected to medication reconciliation and education |
The table above shows a SWOT analysis to support the project and offer insights into the development of the scope and charter. The analysis has offered important insights into the organization’s internal strengths and weaknesses. In addition, it has highlighted the threats and opportunities which may impact the proposed informatics project. Therefore, it will help to identify the areas to capitalize on and drive the project to completion.
Gap Analysis
Gap analysis is an important activity in the project development and implementation process since the project team can use it in the assessment of the variance between the current state of affairs and the desired state or situation of an organization or the project (Skivington et al.,2021). Therefore, a gap analysis entails the identification of discrepancies in various project or organization activities, such as performance, process, capability, and outcomes, with a major focus on formulating the strategies that can be used to bridge such gaps. Therefore, this section focuses on the gap analysis for the project. The visuals representation of the analysis is shown in the next figure below.
Figure 1
Gap Analysis graphic
The practice gap identified is the inconsistent medication education and reconciliation process during patient transitions within the VA and private sector due to poor medication education. Patient medication education is critical in ensuring patient safety, especially when transitioning between different healthcare settings (e.g., Inpatient behavioral hospital to outpatient care and changing from one provider to another within the VA healthcare system). However, the current process at The VA (CBOCs) lacks standardized tools to properly educate Veterans on medication dosage, purpose, and time frames of medications, leading to discrepancies in medication information and potential medication errors due to poor patient education (Rasool et al.,2020). This project aims to bridge this practice gap by implementing a standardized education tool or materials to help educate Veterans on the medications that they are consuming. One of the tools could be the medication reconciliation process during transitions of care to reduce medication errors and improve patient safety.
Work Breakdown Structure
Work Breakdown Structure is an important tool in project implementation and management. Therefore, it is important to formulate a relevant work breakdown structure based on the project requirements and stages (Sipes, 2023). It refers to a hierarchical division of the work needed to complete the project into smaller and manageable sections or divisions. A WBS offers a structured and succinct overview of the project scope since it helps divide the tasks into easier-to-understand sections. Therefore, the project team has a deeper understanding of the project requirements, deliverables, and objectives. It also helps in defining the project boundaries and informs the project team regarding what needs to be included and what should be excluded, which then helps to align the project objectives and prevent scope creep.
The formulated work breakdown structure is shown in Figure 2. As observed in the figure, five major project faces will be accomplished, including project initiation, project planning, analysis and design, project implementation, and evaluation, which will eventually be followed by improvements based on feedback. The phases, in turn, have several activities that will need to be accomplished to ensure the successful completion of the project. For example, the project initiation stage or phase will entail activities such as objective formulation and scope definition among other activities.
Figure 1
Work Breakdown Structure
Gantt Chart
A Gantt chart is an important tool used as part of project management in visualizing tasks or activities to be accomplished during the project and showing the task dates, end dates, the assignment of tasks, and the progress made (Astafeva & Gazizulina, 2021). The formulated Gantt chart is shown in Figure 3 below. The figure shows the tasks to be completed, those who are supposed to complete the tasks, the task progress, the start dates, and the end dates.
Figure 3: Gantt chart
| TASK | ASSIGNED TO | PROGRESS | START | END |
| Project design | ||||
| Gap Identification | DNP candidate | 100% | 3/20/24 | 3/22/24 |
| Stakeholder identification and gathering | DNP candidate | 100% | 3/22/24 | 3/24/24 |
| Alignment of the gap with facility needs | DNP candidate, DNP mentor | 90% | 3/24/24 | 3/28/24 |
| Define project purpose | DNP candidate | 70% | 3/28/24 | 4/2/24 |
| Literature for evidence to support the project | DNP candidate | 75% | 4/2/24 | 4/4/24 |
| Complete SWOT analysis | DNP mentor, DNP candidate | 80% | 4/4/24 | 4/7/24 |
| Complete stakeholder analysis | DNP candidate | 100% | 4/7/24 | 4/8/24 |
| Literature review and synthesis | DNP candidate | 100% | 4/8/24 | 4/11/24 |
| Approval | DNP candidate | 90% | 4/11/24 | 4/15/24 |
| Project Plan | ||||
| Final action plan review | DNP candidate | 50% | 4/5/24 | 4/10/24 |
| Collection of literature and materials needed | DNP candidate, DNP mentor | 55% | 4/10/24 | 4/12/24 |
| Project scope | DNP candidate | 35% | 4/10/24 | 4/13/24 |
| project charter | DNP candidate | 75% | 4/13/24 | 4/16/24 |
| Final document review | DNP candidate, DNP mentor | 85% | 4/16/24 | 4/19/24 |
| Implement | ||||
| Acquisition of the materials for education | DNP candidate | 25% | 4/10/24 | 4/14/24 |
| Formulating education program | DNP candidate, DNP mentor | 20% | 4/15/24 | 4/20/24 |
| Training on medication education | DNP candidate, DNP mentor | 1% | 4/21/24 | 4/25/24 |
| Suggestions for improvement | Implementation team, DNP candidate | 0% | 4/15/24 | 4/19/24 |
| Integrate reconciliation process | DNP candidate, mentor | 0% | 4/19/24 | 4/21/24 |
| Evaluate/Improve | ||||
| analysis of the data with a mentor | DNP candidate | 10% | 4/19/24 | 4/21/24 |
| Assessment of the information form evaluation | DNP candidate, mentor | 5% | 4/21/24 | 4/25/24 |
| Improvements | 5% | 4/25/24 | 4/28/24 |
The RACI (Responsibility) Chart
It is also important to formulate a RACI chart for the project to help facilitate the easier visualization of the project responsibilities. RACI chart indicates who is responsible for the completion of the tasks or deliverables, who is accountable for the completion and approval of the task, who is to be consulted by those responsible for advice and expertise, and who is to be kept updated on the progress and notified when the tasks are complete (Bove & Houston, 2021). Therefore, the formulated RACI chart is shown in Figure 4 below.
Figure 4: RACI (Responsibility) chart
| Roles & Responsibilities Matrix | ROLES | ||||
| DNP candidate | Nurse leader | Nurse manager | Nurse Educator | DNP mentor | |
| Coordination of the whole project | AI | R | C | C | I |
| Review of research | AI | R | C | C | C |
| Presentation development | AI | R | C | C | C |
| Approval of the intervention plan | A | RA | C | C | CI |
| Reviewing of the information provided | R | R | A | I | C |
| Project implementation | RA | R | C | C | I |
| Project presentation | A | R | R | R | R |
| Feedback | A | R | C | I | I |
| Compliance verification | I | RA | I | C | I |
| Data review | R | R | R | I | I |
| R = Responsible for completion of task or deliverable | |||||
| A = Accountable for completion and approval of the task | |||||
| C = Consulted by those responsible for advice and expertise | |||||
| I = Kept updated on progress and notified when tasks were completed | |||||
Communication Plan
A communication plan plays a major role in fostering effective communication needed to successfully accomplish the project; as such, it is important that the right content of information is communicated throughout the project (Dang et al.,2021). As part of the plan, communication will done through phone calls, emails, instant messaging, and face-to-face interactions. The first communication is to be carried out through email, to let the targeted audience know the need for the intervention effort. Messages to be passed on include information and updates concerning the project, such as what will be needed to effectively implement the informatics project. Status update information will be given from time to time to let the team members and the stakeholders know the progress of the project. Effective communication will support the successful completion of the project.
Risk Management Plan
It is important to formulate a relevant risk management plan as part of project implementation. Therefore, this section addressed the risk management plan and how the risks can be mitigated. Various risks exist for this project, including potential resistance to change, technical challenges, resource constraints, and regulatory compliance. These risks can be impactful. For example, they can lead to regulatory or legal penalties, compromised patient safety, lower staff morale, and delays in the implementation of the project. Even though COVID-19 is a problem that is diminishing, it is still a risk factor since it can lead to several problems, such as staffing challenges, higher demand for virtual solutions, and limited in-person interactions. One way of overcoming the challenge is ensuring that there are flexible communication channels that can help facilitate ongoing communication regarding the program (Shirley, 2020). The potential resistance should be solved by carrying out a comprehensive stakeholder engagement and communication to help get buy-in. It is also important to conduct training and offer resources to staff to ensure that they have a deeper understanding of the intervention for better outcomes.
Rationale
As earlier indicated, this project focuses on enhancing patient safety through proper medication education by incorporating informatics. Patient safety is paramount in the patient settings. Therefore, it is important for healthcare professionals to use appropriate strategies to ensure that patient safety is upheld (Ocloo et al.,2021). This project proposes to improve such safety by improving medication education and reconciliation processes for the veterans within the organization. Recent data shows that it is important to have a standardized medication management practices to improve patient safety. Therefore, the rationale of this project lies in the potential negative impacts of various events, such as medication errors, on patient safety. Medication errors substantially affect patient safety since they are a leading cause of adverse drug events as well as patient harm (Manias et al.,2020). However, it is important to note that standardizing the reconciliation process and medication education can play a significant role in reducing medication error incidences. Such a feat can be achieved by ensuring that patients get consistent and accurate information concerning the medication they are using.
Patient education in medication management has also been shown to play an important role in improving care outcomes, preventing adverse drug events, and promoting medication adherence (Rodziewicz & Hipskind, 2020). Therefore, offering the patient comprehensive and succinct information concerning their medications can help them actively participate in the care plan and enhance outcomes. The medication reconciliation process also helps in lowering discrepancies and improving medication safety during care transitions (Killin et al.,2020). Therefore, standardizing the procedures used in medication reconciliation and using technology such as electronic health record systems can help improve the process, hence lowering the risk of medication errors. Informatics also play an important role in supporting patient education initiatives and medication management. Therefore, integrating informatics solutions into the medication education and reconciliations process can help boost the safety and quality of medication-related care.
Conclusion
This informatics project for the organization focuses on improving patient safety by improving medication education and reconciliation process for the veterans. Therefore, its implementation will help address the veterans’ unique healthcare needs, improve medication management outcomes, and enhance patient safety. Data from the literature has shown that education initiatives play a prominent role in improving patient understanding and fostering their involvement in their health plans. This proposal has included various tools, such as the RACI chart and Gantt chart, among other important project management tools.
References
Astafeva, A., & Gazizulina, L. (2021). Project management tools in the organization of language training students in the technological university. In INTED2021 Proceedings (pp. 10659-10665). IATED. http://dx.doi.org/10.21125/inted.2021.2236
Booth, R., Strudwick, G., McMurray, J., Chan, R., Cotton, K., & Cooke, S. (2021). The future of nursing informatics in a digitally-enabled world. Introduction to Nursing Informatics, 395–417. 10.1007/978-3-030-58740-6_16
Bove, L., & Houston, S. M. (2020). Project Management Skills for Healthcare: Methods and Techniques for Diverse Skillsets. Productivity Press.
Dang, D., Dearholt, S. L., Bissett, K., Ascenzi, J., & Whalen, M. (2021). Johns Hopkins evidence-based practice for nurses and healthcare professionals: Model and guidelines. Sigma Theta Tau.
Killin, L., Hezam, A., Anderson, K. K., & Welk, B. (2021). Advanced medication reconciliation: a systematic review of the impact on medication errors and adverse drug events associated with transitions of care. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 47(7), 438-451. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjq.2021.03.011
Manias, E., Kusljic, S., & Wu, A. (2020). Interventions to reduce medication errors in adult medical and surgical settings: a systematic review. Therapeutic Advances In Drug Safety, 11, 2042098620968309. https://doi.org/10.1177/2042098620968309
Ocloo, J., Garfield, S., Franklin, B. D., & Dawson, S. (2021). Exploring the theory, barriers, and enablers for the patient and public involvement across health, social care, and patient safety: A systematic review of reviews. Health Research Policy and Systems, 19, 1-21. Doi: 10.1186/s12961-020-00644-3
Rasool, M. F., Rehman, A. U., Imran, I., Abbas, S., Shah, S., Abbas, G., … & Hayat, K. (2020). Risk factors associated with medication errors among patients suffering from chronic disorders. Frontiers In Public Health, 8, 531038. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.531038
Rodziewicz, T. L., & Hipskind, J. E. (2020). Medical error prevention. StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.
Shirley, D. (2020). Project management for healthcare. CRC Press.
Sipes, C. (2023). Project management for the advanced practice nurse. Springer Publishing Company.
Skivington, K., Matthews, L., Simpson, S. A., Craig, P., Baird, J., Blazeby, J. M., … & Moore, L. (2021). Framework for the development and evaluation of complex interventions: gap analysis, workshop and consultation-informed update. Health Technology Assessment (Winchester, England), 25(57), 1. https://doi.org/10.3310%2Fhta25570
Yoder-Wise, P. S., & Sportsman, S. (2022). Leading and Managing in Nursing E-Book: Leading and Managing in Nursing E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.