MSN in Nursing Informatics vs Nursing Leadership and Healthcare Administration

ikarus01 · May 24, 2014

a degree in Nursing Leadership and Healthcare Administration includes Healthcare informatics courses. Could one still get a high-level/management position in informatics with this specialty

Most high level positions will have a requirement that reads something like:

Master's Degree in Nursing, Information Systems, Business or closely related field required.

Thus, you can have a master's degree in any other specialty that is not nursing informatics and yes, you could find a job.

However, the most critical component is that for a high level position in informatics, you will be asked to have prior experience implementing projects, and many times they ask for 5-10 years, although exceptions do happen. For example, you were a gifted "implementator" and then you were also a gifted project manager, so you were then asked to become a manager, etc.

ArmyRN789 · Jun 27, 2014

I would say it all depends on what you want to do with the degree. Do you want to be a hospital administrator or data analyst? If so, the healthcare admin degree is for you. If you want to implement, sustain or train hospital information systems, integrate hospital information systems or help bridge the gap between user and system then informatics is for you. They do have many elements that overlap, but ultimately, the job you will want after graduation should drive your choice of major/degree program.

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Jul 3, 2014

This is not what a counselor will tell you but it is true...: Degrees do not get/land people jobs. People do! It is about you and who you know.

In other words, you must be the type of person someone high up the food chain wants to tap for such a promotion AND you must be able to be the type of person (have the skills needed) to accept such a promotion and perform well. Good luck!

mariafh · Jul 14, 2014

Most of the management team in the healthcare IT started off as employees in that department or that particular focus (i.e IT). The first step is to obtain a position as an employee in the field/department you want to advance. The real question is what concentration would you need to get into that basic employee positions. These healthcare IT positions are highly competitive. For these positions, with equal experience and backgrounds, those with some type of IT/informatics concentration/degree probably has an advantage over those with a nursing leadership focus.