Jade is the nurse manager for 4 South, a busy 32-bed surgical
unit. The unit has been asked to participate in a pilot study in
which the nursing documentation module for the clinical information
system is used. Two other nursing units are involved: the pediatric
unit and the adult intensive care unit (ICU). As part of this pilot
study, one unit will evaluate bedside computers, one unit will test
handheld devices, and the remaining unit will use portable
computers (laptops) mounted on stands that can be wheeled anywhere
on the unit.
The project leader is a clinical application specialist from
the information technology (IT) department. Meetings have been
occurring weekly and include the project leader, an IT analyst, the
three nurse managers, a representative from the information system
vendor, a medical records representative, and the nurse responsible
for quality improvement initiatives for nursing administration. The
agreed-upon duration of this project is 6 months: 5 months for
preparatory work and 1 month live on the system.
It is clear to Jade that the needs of the other units involved
in the pilot study are very different from those of her unit. All
clinicians collect a common core of data, but other data differ
because of illness intensity, context, and other factors. Whether
one hardware solution will work for all three units is not clear to
Jade. She wishes to represent the ideal solution for staff nurses
on her unit.
Questions
1.What should Jade do to advocate both for her staff and for
the project as a whole?
2.Is one type of hardware likely to be the best solution in
various care settings?
3.How can Jade enlist direct care nurses in selecting
hardware most likely to fit with their work process and work
environment?