Provide a user’s requirements specification for each of these user views.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The student should examine the case study in detail and identify and compile a user specification
for the Medical Director’s and the Charge Nurse’s views. As an additional task the student may
also compile a specification for the Personnel Officer’s view.
Of course, to complete this exercise will require that the student makes some assertions about the
precise requirements of each user view. Any assumption should be documented along with each
view.
Examples of specification for the Medical Director’s and Charge Nurse’s views are shown below.
Medical Director
The Director is responsible for the overall management of the hospital and must maintain control
over the use of resources (including staff, beds, and supplies) in the provision of cost-effective
treatment for all patients.
1. The hospital is composed of many wards. Each ward is managed by a Charge Nurse.
The information to be held on each ward includes the ward name, number (e.g. W1),
phone number, location (e.g. Block E), number of beds, and the name of the Charge
Nurse.
2. Each ward is allocated staff including (e.g. Charge nurse, senior and junior nurses,
doctors, consultants, auxiliaries).
3. The hospital maintains a central stock of surgical (e.g. syringe, bandages) and non-
surgical (e.g. plastic bags, aprons). The details of surgical and non-surgical supplies
includes item number and name, item description, quantity in stock, re-order level, cost
per unit. The supplies used by each ward are monitored.
The hospital also maintains a stock of pharmaceutical supplies (e.g. antibiotics, pain
killers). The details of pharmaceutical supplies includes drug number and name,
description, dosage, quantity in stock, re-order level, cost per unit. The pharmaceutical
supplies used by each ward are monitored.

4. The details of the suppliers of the surgical, non-surgical and pharmaceutical items are
stored. The information stored includes the supplier name and number, address, phone
and fax number.
5. Patients are normally referred to the hospital for treatment by their local doctor. The
details of local doctors are stored including their name, clinic number, address, and
phone number.
6. The details of patients referred to the hospital includes the patient number, name (first
and last name), address, phone number, date of birth, martial status, and next-of-kin
details (name, relationship, address, and phone number).
7. When a patient is referred by his/her doctor to attend the hospital, the patient is given an
appointment and is examined by a consultant. The details of the appointment are stored
including the consultant’s name and number, appointment number, date and time, and
examination room (e.g. Room E112).
As a result of the examination, the patient is either recommended to attend the outpatient
clinic or placed on a waiting list until a bed can be found in a particular ward.
8. The details of outpatients are stored. The information stored includes the patient details
as stated earlier (see 6) and the date and time of the appointment at the outpatient clinic.
9. The details of patients currently placed in a ward and those on the waiting list for a place
on a ward are stored. The information stored includes the patient details as stated earlier
(see 6) and the date placed on waiting list, ward required, expected duration of stay, date
placed in the ward, and date left the ward.
Charge Nurse
The Charge Nurse has overall responsibility for the management of a single ward. The Charge
Nurse is allocated a budget to run the ward and must ensure that all resources (staff, beds and
supplies) are used effectively in the care of patients.
The Charge Nurse and other senior medical staff are responsible for the allocation of beds to
patients on the waiting list.
1. The information to be held on each ward includes the details of staff allocated to each
ward including the staff number, name, address, phone number, position, and number of
hours worked per week and shift (e.g. early, late).
2. The information stored on each patient on the waiting list includes the patient number,
name (first and last name), address, phone number, date of birth, martial status, next-of-
kin details, date placed on waiting list, required ward, date placed in ward, expected
duration of stay, and date left ward.
3. When a patient enters the ward they are allocated a bed with a unique bed number. Each
patient is prescribed medication and the details of this medication includes the patient
number, drug number and name, units per day, start and finish date. The medication
(pharmaceutical supplies) given to each patient is monitored.
4. Staff are allocated to work in wards, as required. The Charge Nurse of each ward is
responsible for creating a staff rota, which ensures that the correct complement of staff
are on duty for each shift (early, late, night). Nursing staff may be specifically allocated
to patients who required specialist care.
5. When required the Charge Nurse may obtain surgical, non-surgical and pharmaceutical
supplies from the central stock of supplies held by the hospital. The information to be
stored includes the requisition number, staff name and number, ward number, item
number (or drug number), quantity required, date ordered and date received.