informatics education advice

[betbelhell]

i have been an RN for 12 years, I am going back to school for a certificate in medical informatics from UWF ( its is 4 graduate courses in informatics) with the intention of applying for the masters in informatics after receiving a job in the field. How difficult or easy is the job market for entry level informatics but experienced RN? i have an BA and MA in the field of counseling/guidance as well. thanks!

[rninformatics, DNP, RN]

OKay, lets clarify a few things first. Yes, you need more clinical nursing practice experience. No, I dont think you "need" an informatics certificate but it probably would make you more marketable as "LAN/WAN", "networking" and "e-mail" expertise does not translate into Informatics experience. Do some research to get a better idea of exactly what Nursing, Medical and Healthcare Informatics and clinical information systems entail. We are talking about helping to improve clinical practice and patient care through the use of technology and technological tools such as clinical applications, telehealth, EMRs, decision support systems, CPOE, RHIOs, data mining, etc. Whether or not Informatics is a better path for you should be an informed decision you make.

Good Luck!

I have a Bachelor in Information systems, and I have worked in LAN tech support for a major networking company for close to 20 years. I fix on a daily basis complex e-mail systems and directories on Windows, Netware, and Linux. I have pursued a nursing degree, and I have one semester left before I get my RN. My question is, with my technical background, do I need a Informatics specific certificate, or do you think a potential employer would look at my BS and 20 years of experience as enough on the technical side? I know I am lacking on the nursing side, and need more experience there. I'm thinking of continuing onto my BSN after getting my ADN in December, but would consider Informatics if that would be a better path.

[leggendario]

OKay, lets clarify a few things first. Yes, you need more clinical nursing practice experience. No, I dont think you "need" an informatics certificate but it probably would make you more marketable as "LAN/WAN", "networking" and "e-mail" expertise does not translate into Informatics experience. Do some research to get a better idea of exactly what Nursing, Medical and Healthcare Informatics and clinical information systems entail. We are talking about helping to improve clinical practice and patient care through the use of technology and technological tools such as clinical applications, telehealth, EMRs, decision support systems, CPOE, RHIOs, data mining, etc. Whether or not Informatics is a better path for you should be an informed decision you make.

Good Luck!

Yes I certainly agree that nursing informatics is not focusing merely on the technological aspect of the description. Nursing Informatics is a way in which this new role help nurses and other medical teams to improve the quality of health services for the benefits of the patient. Nursing informatics helps to make the delivery of basic health services more efficient and more effective by combining the use of modern clinical practice and the power of information technology. This two domains have a synergistic effects on how it will further enhance the quality of health services. Nurses are always in the middle, and we are always in the thick of things. This new role is continuously evolving and I think the current certification or the current programs will also changed in the coming years.

[newlpn08]

Thank you for the responses. I am so grateful for having found allnurses.com, because the knowledge and helpfulness of the participants on these boards are amazing. Right now I will focus on getting a good solid nursing foundation, and later on I will start looking more into the informatics side of things. Thank you again.

[3rdcareerRN]

Thanks, Sues! I know how to paddle a canoe, LOL! But I do find kayaks a bit easier to control.

I have not started working directly in the department yet, but I have been selected as a super user and we are getting the system up and ready for use - we purchased the software by Keane and are in the process of first revising the paper forms and then giving them to the programmers to put into format for computer documentation. I am currently on 4 ommittees and am hearing all the terms from the nurses in informatics like "building" "logic" "fields" vs "tables" etc. and would just like to have an overview of what all the terms mean so that I don't look too computer illiterate, LOL. I know how to use Access (databases, forms, mailmerge), Excel, Word, etc. so I am fairly computer literate with the programs that are commonly used. I know that an operating system (os) is like vista, windows, dos, etc. I guess what I really need to know is what does it take to get the paper forms into an electronic format (not scanned, but built into a system such as Keane). Would like this: :typing to be me!

For your question, and for others entering informatics, I suggest an excellent if old book: "Database Design for Mere Mortals", M. Hernandez.

He gently takes the reader through the entire thought process of having some data and getting it organized into computer-optimized tables, suitable for programmed queries. It is a good entry-level supplement to the informatics books the OP listed, although it is specific to data design.