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.
Specializes in Informatics, Education, and Oncology.
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?
Yes
how would a med-surg nurse gain marketable experience in nursing informatics without being employed in the that field first?
By volunteering to be a super user or volunteering to work on a new informatics project at your hospital/healthcare facility.
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?
Rarely are you "offered" an informatics job. It does happen. You gain experience by doing. Whether that doing is OJT in an entry level position or in a volunteer role capacity. If you have completed a certification, post grad or graduate education program in informatics than at least you have the foundational knowledge about the specialty. Before investing your time, energy and money in education one should know exactly what the specialty involves and what it is they want to do within the specialty.
The most common scenario is that one is already working in an informatics job/role then one seeks additional education/certification.
Remember the IT boom? Soon after that, the field was saturated, and new IT graduates had trouble finding employment. I
I think you are referring to the dot-com boom (also known as the Internet boom), the resulting "bubble" and the resulting bursting of the dot-com bubble. Occuring roughly between 1995-2001 this period was marked by the founding (and, in many cases, spectacular failure) of a group of new Internet-based companies commonly referred to as dot-coms. Over saturation of the market, unscrupulous bussiness practices and over speculation were the contributing factors to the bursing of the dot com bubble and yes many dot-comers lost their businesses and jobs. Healthcare Informatics Systems and Informatics are not the same fields.
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?
NI was recognized by ANA as a specilaty in 1992 - 17 years ago. NI Certification became available in 1995.
What I have found is there there are always positions for qualified professionals. "Saturated"? No, no in the least. There are NI job postions on Monster.com, Indeed.com. on the AMIA and ANI job boards and on HIMSS, and on numerous other websites, job boards, etc. Maybe you are only using the search term Nursing informatics? Take a look on the forum as this same question has been asked and answered numerous times - Posted on the forum psoted are the other numerous roles/titles for NI
nursing informatics is not yet define here in the philippines...
im a clinical nurse for 6 years.. and now(almost 6 months already) i'm chosen to be the sole nursing informatics of our hospital since we just implemented HIS.
unfortunately, all the nurses(even I) are confuse about my role..
since the beginning, Ive been working with the IT dept.
data collection, giving infos.. providing the workflow..
sometimes.. i missed bedside nursing, so I occasionally help any nursing dept. who need help. but then the more I help them the more it was confusing about what really my role is... so eventually, I stop bedside nursing ..
All my colleagues arent familiar with nursing informatics.. they thought im part of the IT dept. but the truth is Im not...
theyre jealous of my work.. coz they said, it's very relaxing.. but they dont know that it is stressful.
NURSING informatics can take home assignments(their work)which can be stressful but unlike bedside nursing.. even if it is very busy but after 8 hours, your work is done
Hello! I'm new to the forum, but can agree with others who have given you excellent advice. I started on this road 9 years ago having worked Med/Surg bedside nursing for about 27 years. I do not have a degree am a diploma grad RN. I got into the field by being someone that was interested in computers and was selected to help build our new HIS/order managment application. Since that time I have experience with the physicians information system, patient charting, multiple system upgrades, lots of testing and assisiting with other implimentations like ER, RIS/PACS, new interface engine and so on. It is my understanding that many of us get into Informatics via this route. I highly suggest that with your BSN you sit for tne NI certification after attending events such as ANIA/CARING annual conference, a SINI, a WINI and getting as much exposure to the field as you can. I have done the webcast version of the SINI the past 2 years and of course would LOVE to be there but this is a good alternative to being there. I've been to an ANIA conference some years ago and it was great. I've belonged to Caring since I attended a WINI 4 years ago. It is a great community also. If your facility is looking at a HIS replacement or bringing up a module, express your interest! In my area we do not have a local NI group, although my boss and I would like to get something going, and hopefully we can. That would be another great way to get involved and learning! You will need a good solid background of clinical skills too, and a good knowlege of process and flow.
I have been an RN for 12yrs now, prior to that an LPN for 15yrs. My job title now is RN Informaticist. I've went to home care approx 12 yrs ago, we began using laptops to document in the home. I too love computers and caught on quickly, I was soon showing others how to use . I felt like this was an avenue I 'd like to pursue, started taking computer classes , which have been very valuable. like you developed forms to fill in online. I love what I do. I was also sent to classes to learn how to develope assessments for the application that the nurses use to document on. My job has evolved as I think many positions like this have done. I think it's a growing field and if it's your cup of tea, go for it. I believe I've become a very valuable to our home care agency. I'm right on site to help with computer issues, to get them out the door to see patients, I'm and educator, teaching all new clinician how to document on their computer. Having a clincian teach other clincians how to document electroncially works best. Can't imagine an IS person trying to show a nurse how to go about charting , don't think it would be as beneficial.
This thread is not only informative, but also very encouraging. I see that for most successful nurse informaticists on this thread, the specialized education came after a good exposure to the field. I am definitely interested, but maybe I should do my job the best way I can, and be an active learner and teacher - and hopefully, I will find an opportunity just like you all did. I only wish my hospital had a real informatics department!
keep at what you do, but keep your eyes/ears open too. with all the financial initiatives going on now, and the great interest in ehr there will be a lot more call for us!
At a not-for-profit hospital that multiplies its losses every year, what are the chances that there will ever be a real informatics department when even the most basic, grassroots-level staffing is inadequate for safe practice?
The information provided by this forum is exactly what I needed, being that I am an Associate Degree Nurse, who is currently enrolled in a BSN program and is considering a Career in Nursing Informatics. It is difficult to find fellow peers to network with that are also considering a career in NI so for me this forum is like gold. Thank you rninformatics for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer questions. Those aspiring to be NI truly appreciate the wealth of information that you have provided us with. I will definitely look into webinars, seminars and NI conferences to get a good feel for the profession before taking the next step in obtaining my Masters. You also mentioned that the job wasn’t a easy task, just because you’re moving away from the bedside. That was important to know because I was under the false impression that it was somewhat easier being that the physical demand is not as great. Also, I appreciate the detailed job description that you posted in the forum titled “a day in the life of…”. It was crucial to me to learn about the in’s and out’s of the job so to speak from someone who is well experienced in the field and not just some random description ascertained from Google. I want to thank Collaboratern as well for asking all the right questions for us aspiring to be NI.
rninformatics, DNP, RN
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