NURSING C790 UPDATED STUDY GUIDE 2025-
GRADED A
In which ways can the use of clinical decision support systems affect health information
technology and create a culture of safety within healthcare?
It improves patient satisfaction.
It improves quality of care.
Here’s a breakdown of those System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) components in the context of nursing
informatics and health information systems:
1. Domain Modeling
• Definition: A way of representing the real-world clinical or organizational environment the system will
support.
• Purpose: Identifies the key entities (patients, nurses, medications, lab results, encounters, etc.) and how
they relate to each other.
• In Nursing Informatics: A domain model helps capture the nursing workflow and patient care
processes so the system reflects actual practice. For example, mapping how a nurse documents vitals,
how those vitals connect to orders, and how they feed into decision support.
2. Systems Analysis Model
• Definition: A structured description of what the system must do and how it behaves, based on
requirements gathering.
• Purpose: Analyzes functional requirements (what the system must accomplish) and non-functional
requirements (speed, security, usability).
• In Nursing Informatics: This model specifies things like:
o The ability for a nurse to enter and retrieve patient data quickly.
o Automated medication alerts to reduce errors.
o Compliance with HIPAA privacy and security standards.
o Integration with existing EHR modules.
It ensures the design addresses nursing practice needs rather than just technical specs.
3. System Communications Modeling
• Definition: A model of how the system components communicate with each other and with external
systems.
1
,• Purpose: Ensures smooth data flow, interoperability, and secure exchange of information.
• In Nursing Informatics: Communications modeling shows:
o How nurse-entered data in one module is transmitted to providers, labs, or billing systems.
o HL7/FHIR message exchange between an EHR and external pharmacies or registries.
o Role-based access, ensuring nurses, physicians, and patients see the right data in the right format.
2
, ✅ Summary:
• Domain modeling = maps the what (clinical environment, workflows, relationships).
• Systems analysis model = defines the requirements (functions, usability, compliance).
• System communications modeling = defines the how data moves between modules and systems.
The Waterfall Model
The Waterfall model is one of the earliest and most linear approaches to the System
Development Life Cycle (SDLC). It’s called “waterfall” because progress flows in one
direction — like water down a cascade — from one phase to the next.
Phases
1. Requirements Analysis
• Gather and document user needs.
• Nursing Informatics example: Nurses, physicians, and IT staff describe
what’s needed in an electronic charting tool (ex: flowsheets for vitals,
medication safety alerts, nursing notes).
2. System Design
• Translate requirements into architecture and models.
• Example: Build domain models (patients, medications, encounters), systems
analysis models (functional specifications), and system communications
models (how data will flow between EHR, lab, pharmacy).
3. Implementation (Coding)
• Developers build the system.
• Example: Program an EHR module that allows nurses to document wound
care assessments and send wound photos securely.
4. Testing
• Verify the system works as intended, and validate against nursing workflow.
• Example: Nurses test that allergy alerts fire correctly and charting time is
efficient.
5. Deployment
3
GRADED A
In which ways can the use of clinical decision support systems affect health information
technology and create a culture of safety within healthcare?
It improves patient satisfaction.
It improves quality of care.
Here’s a breakdown of those System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) components in the context of nursing
informatics and health information systems:
1. Domain Modeling
• Definition: A way of representing the real-world clinical or organizational environment the system will
support.
• Purpose: Identifies the key entities (patients, nurses, medications, lab results, encounters, etc.) and how
they relate to each other.
• In Nursing Informatics: A domain model helps capture the nursing workflow and patient care
processes so the system reflects actual practice. For example, mapping how a nurse documents vitals,
how those vitals connect to orders, and how they feed into decision support.
2. Systems Analysis Model
• Definition: A structured description of what the system must do and how it behaves, based on
requirements gathering.
• Purpose: Analyzes functional requirements (what the system must accomplish) and non-functional
requirements (speed, security, usability).
• In Nursing Informatics: This model specifies things like:
o The ability for a nurse to enter and retrieve patient data quickly.
o Automated medication alerts to reduce errors.
o Compliance with HIPAA privacy and security standards.
o Integration with existing EHR modules.
It ensures the design addresses nursing practice needs rather than just technical specs.
3. System Communications Modeling
• Definition: A model of how the system components communicate with each other and with external
systems.
1
,• Purpose: Ensures smooth data flow, interoperability, and secure exchange of information.
• In Nursing Informatics: Communications modeling shows:
o How nurse-entered data in one module is transmitted to providers, labs, or billing systems.
o HL7/FHIR message exchange between an EHR and external pharmacies or registries.
o Role-based access, ensuring nurses, physicians, and patients see the right data in the right format.
2
, ✅ Summary:
• Domain modeling = maps the what (clinical environment, workflows, relationships).
• Systems analysis model = defines the requirements (functions, usability, compliance).
• System communications modeling = defines the how data moves between modules and systems.
The Waterfall Model
The Waterfall model is one of the earliest and most linear approaches to the System
Development Life Cycle (SDLC). It’s called “waterfall” because progress flows in one
direction — like water down a cascade — from one phase to the next.
Phases
1. Requirements Analysis
• Gather and document user needs.
• Nursing Informatics example: Nurses, physicians, and IT staff describe
what’s needed in an electronic charting tool (ex: flowsheets for vitals,
medication safety alerts, nursing notes).
2. System Design
• Translate requirements into architecture and models.
• Example: Build domain models (patients, medications, encounters), systems
analysis models (functional specifications), and system communications
models (how data will flow between EHR, lab, pharmacy).
3. Implementation (Coding)
• Developers build the system.
• Example: Program an EHR module that allows nurses to document wound
care assessments and send wound photos securely.
4. Testing
• Verify the system works as intended, and validate against nursing workflow.
• Example: Nurses test that allergy alerts fire correctly and charting time is
efficient.
5. Deployment
3
