Reply to the discussions–

The elements I would consider and the questions I would pose to management prior to soliciting information in the form of a RFI or RFP would be to select team members based on skill set to do research and perform an analysis leading up to the submission of an RFI and RFP.  Determine what the organizational needs are and what are the goals for the new EHR system.  What is the budget is for the new EHR system? How many workstations and end users will there be?  What are the expected dates for start and completion of the project?  What are the expectations for the new system and what do the leaders of the organization hope to accomplish?  Determine what customizable options are needed to increase productivity and patient safety with the new EHR system.  In addition to preliminary work required to start soliciting vendors, you much first decide which is required for your type of work, RFI or RFP or both.  During my research it was noted that there is an expanded RFI also available to help in soliciting vendors.  An expanded RFI includes more information than the typical RFI but not as much as a RFP.  A RFI (Request for Information) and RFP (Request for Proposal) are similar in that they both are used to determine and narrow down whether a prospective vendor has the basic requirements needed to provide a functional EHR system.  They differ in two ways, (1) an RFI is cost effective and requires less time to prepare whereas an RFP requires more money and more detailed information; therefore requiring more time to complete.  In an article on the OCI Next Day Proposal website they state that the costs are determined by the type of proposal required such as Base-level O&M services 1.2% or less of the contract value, High-end technical and engineering services 1.5% more or less, High-end solutions proposals 2% to 3% and Product proposals often a fraction of 1%.  Russell (2017).

2-Prior to using a Request for Information and a Request for Proposal to implement a health information system as an Electronic Health Record (EHR) it is important to understand the similar and distinguishing factors of these documents. A request for information (RFI), is an initial document that is used to get general information from potential vendors. A request for proposal (RFP), is a document a company may requests from vendors to get an overview of offerings and costs for a specific service.

 After assessing my organizations EHR I would set EHR goals and highlight key aspects about the must-have EHR capabilities. All of this will help me to narrow down my vendor field. However, in order to prepare a proper RFP I would first consider these main elements: background information, detailed description of the project, specific requirements about preferred systems, tools, materials, or products, and the project deadline along with explicit dates and milestones. This information is necessary because it list the straightforward risk and benefits of the implantation process and purchase (A Primer on Project Management for Health Care, 2017). When preparing the RFI I would consider the statement of need, background, and qualifications. This will allow the company to gain a thorough understanding of the companies need for the EHR system. It will also provide insight to the background details about the companys qualifications for the new system. The cost of this system could easily result in a cause for concern or disapproval, whoever, the detailed description of the projects benefits, along with the statement of need would help to outline the advantages of implantation of this project (Sayles & Trawick, 2010).  

3–Nursing theories offer crucial insight regarding the discipline of nursing and help to shed light on the important concepts that help shape nursing practice. The theory Ive chosen to discuss is the theory generated by Ida Jean Orlando, who developed the Deliberative Nursing Process theory. After referencing the UMGC online learning presentation materials, Ida Jean Orlandos theory is considered as a Middle-Range nursing theory, which indicates that the theory encompasses a certain set of characteristics to warrant that distinction. Today, a great number of nurses utilize Orlandos Deliberative Nursing Process theory to assess and administer care to their patients. Each nurse uses this nursing theory and process when cultivating a therapeutic relationship with patients. For instance, a nurse utilizes the first stage of Assessment when triaging a patient or meeting a patient for the first time; the nurse must complete a thorough [physical] assessment of the patient, collecting both subjective and objective data about the patient, as well as, taking note of the patients immediate health care needs.

According to Angelo Gonzalo (2021), Orlandos nursing theory emphasizes the shared relationship between the nurse and the patient, where each persons verbal responses and physical actions affect the other. Gonzalo highlights that Orlandos theory revolved around five interrelated concepts which include, the function of professional nursing, presenting behavior, immediate reaction, nursing process discipline, and improvement, and these important concepts help to shape the nursing theory overall. Orlando viewed nursings professional function as finding out and meeting the patients immediate need for help, which is essentially one of the main functions of a nurse (Gonzalo, 2021). The Deliberative Nursing Process consists of five stages: Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation; the nursing process is largely a thorough investigation of the patients needs, whereby deliberative nursing action is taken due to the nurses careful observation and the correct identification of the patients needs (Gonzalo, 2021). In a nutshell, Orlandos patient-oriented theory allows nurses to effectively generate nursing care plans that can be easily modified if any complications occur regarding the patient. It is important that nurses continue to frequently assess their patients to make the necessary revisions to the nursing care plans and evaluate the patients progress toward their health goals. 

4–Jean Watsons Theory of Human Caring is a middle-range theory. Watsons theory was recognized in 1979. According to the theory, Watson believes that there are 10 carative factors. Some of those factors are: developing a helping-trust relationship, . . . using problem-solving for decision-making, promoting teaching-learning, promoting a supportive environment (Petiprin, 2020) Watsons theory focuses on the basic human needs holistically.

Mainly concerned with how nurses care for their patients and how that caring progresses into better plans to promote health and wellness, prevent illness and restore health. (Wayne, 2021) The goal of my job in Occupational Health is to promote health and wellness. We perform health screenings on new hire candidates for the protection of both the employee and the patients they will be caring for. Likewise, we provide immunizations to protect both staff and patients. We provide care, treatment, and education when needed for employees when they have been injured at work. The majority of my day is spent promoting health, wellness, and attempting to prevent illness or injury.

5–A request for information is a formal request for general information from potential vendors. It is used when an owner wants several contractors to provide potential solutions (Sayles, NB. 2010). RFIs are typically used to to gather information to help decide whether to pursue further steps with a vendor. A request for proposal is a document a company requests from vendors to get an overview of offerings and costs for a specific service. The request for information process usually is the initial step to finding vendors while the request for proposal follows. The purpose of launching an RFI process is to explore multiple options before settling on one. The purpose of a request for proposal is to enable suppliers to demonstrate their skills, experience, and knowledge (White, CS p.76  2001). The difference between a RFI and RPF is generally a RFI is used when you think you know what you want but need more information from suppliers and and a RPF is used when you know you have a problem but don’t know how exactly you want to solve it. Both processes are initiated by a buyer and can be sent to multiple sellers and neither involve a formal commitment. Despite their similarities, RFIs and RFPs can not be used interchangeably. They differ in focus, content and recipients.