Advice on expanding career into informatics

[Dishy82]

I am currently an Occupational Health RN at a large company. I have background in ICU/med surg and clinical reserach before going into Occupational Health. In the role I have now, I serve as an administrator for our electronic medical record. This role includes global implementation at new sites, quality control, training, troubleshooting etc. I enjoy this part of my job and am looking for a good career path foward to expand into the IT/Health Information System side. I am looking for suggestions on good online degrees that will make me a better EMR administrator.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

It seems like you're making all the right moves by getting involved in EMR implementation and management. Here's a thought - take a look at that EMR company and see if they're hiring. This is a common career-entry point for clinicians; software companies tend to hire clinicians that have experience using their products.

You can pursue a certification in Informatics as a preliminary step towards your MSN in Informatics.... If you intend to focus on this area, this will be a 'must' for you. BTW, nurse informaticists (MSN in Informatics) are employed in many different roles in healthcare. Many positions have a very nice salary. Check out this site.... Home | AMIA It has a lot of information on certifications and degree programs.

Check out the Nurse Informatics forum under Specialties (yellow bar). Good luck to you!