Systems implementation closely follows which process?

• A. The nursing process (Assessment, Diagnosis, Outcome Identification, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation)
• B. The software development lifecycle
• C. The patient care workflow
• D. The marketing plan

Answer: (A)

Systems implementation in healthcare is most aligned with the nursing process, because the goal is to weave technology into the actual patient care activities in a way that supports nursing judgment and measurable outcomes. By starting with Assessment, teams identify what care needs, current workflow gaps, and safety risks the system must address. Next, in Diagnosis, the issues or risks that the technology should mitigate are clarified. Outcome Identification then defines what success looks like—specific, measurable goals for safety, quality, and efficiency. Planning translates those goals into system design, configurations, and training plans. Implementation puts the new workflow and tools into practice, ensuring clinicians can use them within real care activities. Finally, Evaluation assesses whether the expected outcomes were achieved and informs refinements, closing the loop with ongoing improvement.

The software development lifecycle is a general framework for creating software, not specifically rooted in clinical care workflows, so it doesn’t inherently ensure alignment with nursing care decisions. The patient care workflow is related but represents the sequence of care activities rather than the reasoning and decision-making framework that the nursing process provides. The marketing plan has no relevance to how care is delivered or how systems support nursing practice.