Advice to Nursing Informatics Aspirants?

sscoootzz · Oct 22, 2009

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.

rninformatics, DNP, RN · Oct 22, 2009

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

I am an Associates Degree prepared RN, expecting to graduate with a Bachelors Degree in Nursing in May 2010, with 1.5 years clinical experience on a Med-Surg + Geriatric floor at a local community hospital.
I love working with computers, and I am considering further studies in Nursing Informatics.
Is there anything nurses in that area may see fit to share with me, and others like me?
- Tips
- Advice
- Warnings
- Experiences
- Anything at all
Thank you in advance for your time and effort in replying to this post.

sscoootzz · Oct 22, 2009

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

CollaborateRN · Oct 23, 2009

Thank you Ms. Angela Lewis! I appreciate the detailed response!

I was beginning to get disappointed since there were no responses.

I understand that loving computers is not enough. When I say I love computers, it's not just the usual youngsters'-favorite-activities on the computers kind of use. 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.

Do you enjoy your job? Or do you feel like you're stuck behind a desk performing clerical duties at times?

Also, I was trying to understand the difference between the following specializations offered by Excelsior College:

Clinical Systems Management
Nursing Informatics

Is one inclusive of the other?

LINK: https://www.excelsior.edu/Excelsior_College/School_Of_Nursing/MS_in_Nursing_Degree

I haven't met any nursing informatics professionals yet since there isn't a nursing informatics department at my hospital. Would you be one of the professionals I could network with in order to research this field?

rninformatics, DNP, RN · Oct 23, 2009

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: https://allnurses.com/nursing-informatics/how-do-i-421090.html#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.

Thank you Ms. Angela Lewis! I appreciate the detailed response!
I was beginning to get disappointed since there were no responses.
I understand that loving computers is not enough. When I say I love computers, it's not just the usual youngsters'-favorite-activities on the computers kind of use. 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.
Do you enjoy your job? Or do you feel like you're stuck behind a desk performing clerical duties at times?
Also, I was trying to understand the difference between the following specializations offered by Excelsior College:
Clinical Systems Management
Nursing Informatics
Is one inclusive of the other?
LINK: https://www.excelsior.edu/Excelsior_College/School_Of_Nursing/MS_in_Nursing_Degree
I haven't met any nursing informatics professionals yet since there isn't a nursing informatics department at my hospital. Would you be one of the professionals I could network with in order to research this field?

CollaborateRN · Oct 23, 2009

I'm sorry Ms. Lewis. I was so caught up in the need to find answers. I appreciate all the guidance you and other people like you provide other nurses and aspirants @ allnurses.com in addition to fulfilling all your other responsibilities.

I absolutely appreciate your responses. However, I just want to point out that a mention about my disappointment was not to complain that you did not post earlier. It was just that I felt like no one was reading the thread, and that maybe, I wouldn't get any answers from allnurses.com.

Thank you so so much! You've pointed me in the right direction!

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: https://allnurses.com/nursing-informatics/how-do-i-421090.html#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.

CollaborateRN · Nov 4, 2009

Recruiters want you for the area you're already working in - in my case med-surg. So, what if I want to switch to informatics? Is it really that tough to train a med-surg nurse in another area?

CollaborateRN · Nov 4, 2009

What about all those promises about being able to do whatever you like as a nurse? What should I be doing to make myself more marketable as an Informatics RN, while still working in the Med-Surg area?

rninformatics, DNP, RN · Nov 4, 2009

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.

Recruiters want you for the area you're already working in - in my case med-surg. So, what if I want to switch to informatics? Is it really that tough to train a med-surg nurse in another area?

rninformatics, DNP, RN · Nov 4, 2009

https://allnurses.com/nursing-informatics/advice-nursing-informatics-429692.html#post3955534

What about all those promises about being able to do whatever you like as a nurse? What should I be doing to make myself more marketable as an Informatics RN, while still working in the Med-Surg area?

CollaborateRN · Nov 4, 2009

Are you aware of any such mentoring programs?

Would it be wiser to test the waters, and see if I am cut out for nursing informatics before I pursue further studies in the field?

The job-market being as it is now, I understand why recruiters consider it better to hire nurses experienced in a field, as opposed to nurses who are new to a certain field. However, how would a med-surg nurse gain marketable experience in nursing informatics without being employed in the that field first?

Even after a certificate program, a graduate degree, or a post-master's certificate, an RN will remain a new-graduate with regard to informatics unless someone offers the RN his/her first informatics job, right?

Remember the IT boom? Soon after that, the field was saturated, and new IT graduates had trouble finding employment. I understand nursing informatics is a relatively new field, and if health care is moving towards computerization, this field will gain impetus. Does it ever feel like this area is also pretty much saturated now? It doesn't seem like there are too many Nursing Informatics job postings out there. Or am I looking in all the wrong places?