Comparing Nursing Informatics Programs

[Mijourney]

I apologize if this question has been asked. Besides the tuition and fees, what else would I look for in comparing nursing informatics programs as far as curriculum is concerned? The cost of the nursing informatics program in my neck of the woods is less expensive then schools such as Excelsior and University of Maryland. The curriculum is slightly different as well. I'm sure the program in my area is pretty decent, but I need a program that will provide me with the best value for the money. What should I be looking for in these programs? How do I shop for a program, in other words? Any feedback from those of you who have experience with graduate nursing informatics programs, especially those online, would be greatly appreciated.

[Mission]

I think it would depend on your career goals. If you are looking to enter into nursing informatics in a hospital setting or as a vendor consultant after you graduate than I would look for a program that had internship and practical experience built into the curriculum. Also, what kind of career services and networking opportunities do they have.

If you already have a job in NI then just look and see if the courses they offer are going to leverage your existing skill set and help you build skills that will make you more marketable (and more importantly, promotable).

If you're interested in nursing informatics research then I would look at what type of research the institution does, where does the faculty publish, is it research that you're interested in, how much funding do they have, do they have a doctoral research program, etc.

Good luck!