Analyze challenges associated with balanced database design

NURS 6411: Information and Knowledge Management | Week 4
You have recently taken a new position with the Cloverdale Pediatric Clinic, which has been serving a small community for decades. The doctors and nurses proudly proclaim that they have provided health care for children that are now parents who are bringing in their children for care. The clinic has decided to go digital with all health records and you have been hired to facilitate the process. You spend your first day interviewing the staff. Should children be sorted by family? Would there be an advantage to having parents’ old records linked to their children? What are the most common types of information accessed for each record?

The process of database design requires an understanding of design options and their potential benefits and challenges. In health care environments, there are myriads of differing user requirements that can influence the database design so it is crucial that the database is designed to make the connections that best support the users’ needs.

This week, you continue your exploration of relational and entity-relationship data modeling for health care environments by delving into entity-relationship diagrams and their role in database design. You also complete Part 1 of your Team Database Project.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

Analyze challenges associated with balanced database design
Analyze the importance of balanced database design
Apply rules for developing a relational database model
Model data in a health care environment by drawing entity-relationship diagrams
Formulate a plan for online collaboration
Learning Resources

Required Readings

Coronel, C. & Morris, S. (2017). Database systems: Design, implementation, and management (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Chapter 3, “The Relational Database Model” (pp. 71-106)
When developing relational databases, tables are used to group related entities. This chapter explores the details behind table creation and utilization.
Chapter 4, “Entity Relationship (ER) Modeling” (pp. 117-152)
This chapter describes ER modeling and the benefits it has for its end users. When designing a database, the designer has to consider the relationship between the design plans and the end users’ needs while also ensuring connections between data that will yield accurate information.
Cox, J. & Lambert, J. (2013). Step by step: Microsoft Access 2013. Richland, WA: Microsoft Press.

Chapter 1, “Explore Mircosoft Access 2013” (pp. 3–52) This chapter provides an overview of the skills and capabilities of Microsoft Access 2013. It reviews the concepts of database design and introduces the main components of a database; tables, forms, queries, and reports.
Optional Resources

There are a wide variety of online tutorials available to assist with using Microsoft Access. Below are several you might consider, as needed:

Goodwill Community Foundation, Inc. (2010). Access 2010. Retrieved from http://www.gcflearnfree.org/office

This free resource provides a series of lessons, interactives, and video tutorials to assist in learning how to use Access 2010.
Pollock, A. (2010). Access 2010 essential training. Retrieved from http://www.lynda.com/Access-2010-tutorials/essential-training/62642-2.html

This series of videos provides detailed instruction on all aspects of Microsoft Access 2010 use. This resource requires a paid subscription.
Nurs 6411 Week 4 Discussion: Database Design Challenges
What is the most important component of a database? Is it the design standards, the processing speed, or the information requirements? The fact is that for a database to be effective, it must have a balance between all three of these areas. However, striking a balance can often be a challenging process that requires design compromises.

For this Discussion, you analyze the challenges of balancing design standards, processing speed, and information requirements when designing a database.

To prepare:

Review the information in section 4.3 in the course text, Database Systems: Design, Implementation, and Management.
Reflect on the three areas of database design: design standards, processing speed, and information requirements.
Consider how you would weigh the importance of each of the three areas in designing a database.
By Day 3

Post an explanation of the challenges of balancing design standards, processing speed, and information requirements when designing a database. Identify the area(s) in which you would be least willing to compromise and explain factors that might influence your decision. Explain the importance of having a balanced database design.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

By Day 6

Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days using one or more of the following approaches:

Ask a probing question, substantiated with additional background information, evidence, or research.
Expand on how your description of balancing the three areas in a database differs from your colleagues’. What can you gain from theirs? Defend the ways you think yours is more appropriate.
Validate an idea with your own experience and additional research.
Nurs 6411 Week 4 Assignment: Application: Relational Databases
As in any nursing specialization, informatics and database design has its own pedagogy and vernacular. Terms such as primary key, relational diagram, or entity integrity might seem unfamiliar at first; however, this Assignment familiarizes you with such terms and develops your informatics skills as you apply database concepts.

To prepare:

Review the information on relational database models in the course text,Database Systems: Design, Implementation, and Management
Focus on the key terms listed at the end of Chapter 3.
Review how to create an entity relationship model.
Examine the information contained in Figure 3.17 on page 93.
To complete:

Answer questions 17–22 about database design found on pages 112 in the course text, which refer to Figure 3.17 on page 93.
Use the available templates for your responses.