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Hi all,

I just have some questions about nursing informatics. I would appreciate whom ever will answer them. As for this point I have about a year left before I graduate high school. Nursing informatics has been a career that my parents and myself have been looking over in the medical field, however in the computer technology field. First question, what does it take to be qualified to advance in a field of nursing informatics. I have been told that you may need to be an RN first in order to study your BS into Nursing Informatics. Second question, what is the job mainly about? Is it all about research and development or setting up databases for the hospital records? Third question, a personal question to anyone who is currently undergoing the process of being one or already been one for an amount of years that if the job is well stable enough for general necessities and other stuff.

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It is hard to tell from your message whether you looking at nursing informatics from a nursing perspective or from an informatics perspective. There are two paths that people can take to get into health care informatics. One is the clinical path: you start as a clinician going to nursing school and then specialize in informatics. The other is the technical path: you start with a technical degree (CS, IT, MIS) and go into the health care informatics area. The preferred for the nursing informatics path, although certainly not required, is a nurse with a basic BS in nursing with additional education in nursing informatics beyond that, most likely a MS in nursing informatics. However, we have nurses working in this field without a MS and without a BS. Those without a BS are at a disadvantage. Before going into nursing informatics, most nurses have many years of clinical practice. A good source of information is this recent survey by the HIMSS group at

http://www.himss.org/content/files/nursing_info_survey2004.pdf

Also check out the http://www.himss.org in general for health care informatics info. The job bank can give you ideas of jobs in general that deal with health care informatics, but not necessarily nursing.

This survey will also tell you what the NI nurses do. As for the examples you given such as research and development and setting databases, that is usually, but not always, done by those involved in the technical path or having at least a technical degree. I work in research and development and most of the people here have followed the technical path.

Is the NI job stable yes. With the current nursing shortage, there are jobs for NI nurses.

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Mariah,

Thank you so much for the reply ! :D

Now as my perspective on nursing informatics has changed. I will keep on reading through the links that you have supplied.

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Second question, what is the job mainly about? Is it all about research and development or setting up databases for the hospital records?

There are other aspects to nursing informatics that usually get ignored such as implementing IT strategies and information requirements for nursing orgainzations, telenursing and improving clinical workflow. In the United Kingom, one of the leading members of the body overseeing the nationwide implementation of IT systems implemenation in the National Health Service has a nursing informatics background.

Third question, a personal question to anyone who is currently undergoing the process of being one or already been one for an amount of years that if the job is well stable enough for general necessities and other stuff.

The nursing informatics is stable and with the push for technology adoption by healthcare organizations, there is going to be more postions opening up for nursing informatics professionals.
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Specializes in Informatics, Education, and Oncology.

I'd encourage you and your parents to cotinue your research on the specialty of nursing informatics by contacting one of the NI organizations in your geographical location. You may need to start your research in the pure nursing field in order to get a clear understanding of the subspecialty of nursing informatics and how it relates to clinical nursing practice, pt care and health care....

You seem to have a few concepts confused--

1) you can have graduated from a school of nursing with a BSN - Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing and not have passed the state board exam to receive your RN - (license as a Registered Nurse). Both successful completion of an accredited course of nursing studies and passing the state board exam combined are what legally allow you to practice as an RN. I wont even go into the different levels of nursing education and practice- example, LPN/LVN or associates degree vs bachelors education.

You do not have to hold a BSN, or an RN to practice in the specialty of Nursing Informatics but to hold national certification in this specialty you would have had to have taken and successfully passed the certification exam administered by ANA - the American Nurses Association.

Your question: "what does it take to be qualified to advance in a field of nursing informatics." Like most professions-- knowledge and experience.

The subspecialty of Nursing Informatics is as diverse as the specialty of Nursing. You will get a good overview by taking a look at the HIMSS NI survey Mariah mentioned and by contacting your local NI organization. If you dont know how to reach a NI organization near you - contact me via e-mail and I can assist you. I've been practicing in this specialty for over 5 years now, practiced as a hands on clinician for 10+ years prior to entering this specialty and I can tell you its stable, diverse, professionally rewarding and challenging - I really enjoy my work and I still cant believe they pay me to do it!!. I will also share with you my opinion that if you are a new nursing school graduate you need to first get several years of hands on clinical nursing practice experience FIRST prior to coming into this subspecialty.

Hi all,

I just have some questions about nursing informatics. I would appreciate whom ever will answer them. As for this point I have about a year left before I graduate high school. Nursing informatics has been a career that my parents and myself have been looking over in the medical field, however in the computer technology field. First question, what does it take to be qualified to advance in a field of nursing informatics. I have been told that you may need to be an RN first in order to study your BS into Nursing Informatics. Second question, what is the job mainly about? Is it all about research and development or setting up databases for the hospital records? Third question, a personal question to anyone who is currently undergoing the process of being one or already been one for an amount of years that if the job is well stable enough for general necessities and other stuff.

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Sorry for the long waited replies. Thank you all for replying, it seems like I've been lately busy school work and stuff. Yet does anyone know if that Cal State La would be a good decision just to get my bsn then enter to their nursing informatics classes which is located here: http://www.calstatela.edu/dept/nursing/ and http://www.calstatela.edu/exed/online/nursinginformatics.htm. It seems like that's the only way for my end. If anyone knows if there's an office just for Nursing Informatics just like in the east side. I had another question, are there other nursing jobs that involve computer science and health? Or is it just nursing informatics.

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