Advice to Nursing Informatics Aspirants?

Well Share_On, I'm waiting to see the feedback on this thread also. I, too, am interested in learning about this field specialty. Good luck in your endeavors.

Sorry for the delay in responding. I was attempting to let other's contribute before chiming in. Seeing that in the last 30 days:
1) I have worked on a gap analysis comparing the benefits, risks and functionality of several different software products that would potentially support bench marking of care, regulatory requirements, documentation and billing in our outpt rehab department.
2) Completed a week long analysis and training of the OR department's scheduling, documentation, MM and billing functions.
3) Recieved training in preparation for our physician documentation project
4) Assisted in the build of electronic assessments for the ED
5) Been project lead for software upgrades in the Sleep Lab and Food Service depts
6) Championed the creation of an order set Committee in prep for CPOE
7) Provided new hire training on the nursing documentation and order entry systems
8) Revised the change request form, completed multiple application forms, user request forms, etc

My first piece of advise would be don't think that by leaving bedside nursing you are moving into a cushy specialty. There are ususally more projects to accomplish than you have hours in the day or staff in the department to complete.
That being said, I'd also suggest doing your research by speaking to or shadowing several Informatics clinicians to see what it is they actually do. Join you local NI groop to network with experienced professionals. Attend a few NI conferences, read several of the foundational texts about this specialty. Do your homework.
"Loving computers" is not enough. I "love" babies but that alone would not make me a good mother nor a good pediatric nurse. Nursing Informatics is a complex specialty - do your homework to see exactly what the role(s) involve BEFORE commiting to any kind of degree program in this concentration.
Good Luck

Once again, thanks rninformatics. Your point about "loving computers" not being enough is essential to my perspective.

Share_on,

Again, I am sorry for the delay in responding. As I wrote before I wanted to give anyone else plenty of opportunity to contribute before I did. Although I would love my role as Forum Moderator to be my sole and only responsiblity, it is not.
I'm sorry you were beginning to get disappointed related to the response time. Please accept my apology, unfortunately the majority of the other informatics professionals and myself have full time jobs above and beyond the Forum. Posting to the NI Forum and answering other's posts is what we do in our spare time. Although a valuable resource I'd suggest that the NI Forum not be the only resource you utilize in your quest for answers about this specialty.

Congratulations on being self taught.

Related to your questions about Excelsior's specialization your best course of action would be to contact the school directly -it is always best to go directly to the source. There are several students enrolled in Excelsior who do frequent this Forum and All nurses.com. Again, because they are working, going to school and trying to balance hectic schedules there is no way to guarantee a specific response time.

Do I enjoy my job? Read my post titled: "A day in the life of..." and a recent post of mine at: http://allnurses.com/nursing-informa...ml#post3929860
see the second paragraph.

I'd suggest doing your research and locating and joining your local state and the national NI organizations. Joining your local and national organizations is a wonderful way to network with other NI professionals.

You don't have to have a NI department in your hospital but if you have clinial applications - apps that support the clinical areas of inpt units, lab, pharmacy, etc there probably is a clinical analyst whom you could talk with. Again I am sure that that person is over worked and under appreciated and they may have him or her chained to a desk somewhere in the basement of the hospital. You could also try contacting other hospital IS/IT departments and doing an informational interview with a clinical analyst. All of the above suggestions have been posted numerous times on this same forum.I know there is a great deal of information on the NI forum. Other NI forum visitors have commented on how reading through the wealth of information on the forum has assisted them. I hope you will find that content as helpful along with utilizing the Internet, texts on the specialty and professional organizations. There are also educational webinars, seminars and conferences related to this specialty.
Good Luck with your research and networking.

Recruiters look at your past work history and experience. What on your resume says you have past experience in informatics? So if you want to switch you need to apply to entry level positions. Also edit your resume to include any past experience as a super-user - and specify the system and what your role was.

In a previous post you wrote:
" I love to explore, discover and apply new software. I've created forms specific to my needs in the clinical area. Everything I know about the applications of computers, I have taught myself in the last three years - that's when I was first exposed to computers for routine use. I did not receive any formal training, but I often find that I am able train several of my peers who happen to have grown up using computers on a daily basis. I enjoy designing, teaching, and developing creative solutions."

To your resume add the software you have applied, the forms you designed (and for what specific needs these forms were created for in the clinical area), what software applications you trained your peers on, etc. Add a section on Computer Software Proficiency and specify which software you are proficient in/with.

In fact it is easier to make a nurse into an informatics professional than it is to make a techie into a clinician. Switching your specialty to Informatics is more than just "training in another area" Just as you did not become an experienced clinician in a matter of months, you do not become an informatics nurse over night.


Think about it this way. Why would I as a hiring manager of an IT/IS dept want to spend the time and resources need in training a pure clinician if I already have an adaquate supply of experienced clinicians who also already have the IT/IS skill set and experience that I need for an open position? Many organizaitions are looking for experienced informatics nurses who have done this before and can hit the ground running immediately on a project. That does not mean there are not entry level positions out there. There are organizations out there that are willing to take a nurse/clinician with no previous informatics experience or IT/IS skills and mentor them in a role.