- You will use project management tools and strategies to propose how you would support and potentially implement a small nursing informatics project. While you may not have the opportunity to implement this proposed project, this project will allow you to apply the skills needed and the considerations that are required in deducing how a project of this scope might take place in your nursing practice. To complete this project, you will define a small informatics project that would be beneficial to your healthcare organization or nursing practice. You can discuss this with upper leadership, in your practice or organization, explaining that you will need to design, plan, and propose how to implement and evaluate a small informatics project that can be completed within a 9-week time frame during this course. This project will be completed in two parts.
The Assignment: (10–11 pages)
This week, you will finalize Part 1 of your Small Informatics Project, using all documents completed during Weeks 1–4.
- Identify and initiate a conversation with a nurse leader at your nursing practice or healthcare organization. Discuss what you will need to develop Scope and Charter Documents.
- Conduct a SWOT analysis which will provide information for the Scope and Charter. You can use a Word document and insert a table. Directions can be viewed in the Week 3 media piece, How to Perform a SWOT Analysis, found in this week’s Learning Resources. Some of the content is relevant to both the project for this course as well as organization of your doctoral dissertation. Overall, the first step for any project, work or your dissertation, requires a plan: what you will and will not do. That information is defined in a charter and scope.
- Create a visual using the Gap Analysis map of the identified gap, documenting the flow from the point of origin to the destination. After watching the Week 3 media piece, How to do a GAP Analysis, identify the gap and analyze the flow or lack of flow of information as the gap in a process. The visual map will include the flow from the point of origin to the destination.
- Create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) using PowerPoint slides or another method. Be sure to review the media piece, What Is a Work Breakdown Structure? in the Week 3 Learning Resources.
- Create a Project Timeline Gantt chart, which defines who is responsible, due dates to start /finish activities. (You might also use this as you track your dissertation IRB submission for your proposal). You can find an example on pp. 95–96 of your text, using PowerPoint slides, or another method. Be sure to review the Gantt Charts, Simplified media piece in this week’s Learning Resources.
- RACI (responsibility chart) which outlines who will be responsible for which tasks, if working with a team. An example can be found in the Sipes text on pages 102–103.
- Communication plan – Include documentation of all communications, status reports, changes made, and next steps, especially if others will be responsible for helping you acquire documents such as IRB site documents if applicable. An example can be found in the Sipes text on page 109 and on pages 141–143.
- Change management plan – Document all changes as they occur (e.g., meetings moved, revisions of drafts of project, due dates moved due to changes, changes in scope of project, change in team members). An example can be found in the Sipes text on page 106, 108, 138 and on pages 156–157.
- Risk management plan– After viewing the Week 4 media piece, “Risk Analysis How to Analyze Risks on Your Project,” document the impact of COVID-19 on current processes and potential for change. Be sure to also document how risk may be mitigated if possible. An example can be found in the Sipes text on pages 103–105.
Compile all updated and current documents from Weeks 1–4 to submit.
Include a description and application to practice for each of the tools you developed. Include the rationale in your submission. Address the following:
- How and why it was developed and its function (all activities will be identified in the WBS)
- How it will be applied to your project? Is it new technology?
- Who was involved in changes and what are their responsibilities? (This is the stakeholders, leadership, end users – (use the RACI chart)
- In what way has this changed with the onset of the pandemic, if at all? This might be the gap analysis, change management plan. What were the changes?
- Are health information system/application upgrades scheduled or planned? Why or why not?
Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293632). All papers submitted must use this formatting.
Submit your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 5.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:
- Please save your Assignment using the naming convention WK5Assgn+last name+first initial as the name.
- Click the Week 5 Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
- Click the Week 5 Assignment link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
- Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as WK5Assgn+last name+first initial and click Open.
- If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
- Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.
