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I would like to know if nurse informatics is only for nurses who have degrees in computer science or IT?
No, nursing informatics is not ONLY for nurses who have a degree in computer science or IT experience.
In fact, it is safe to say that most nurses who only have nursing as a background and who are in the informatics field, most likely started out with zero IT background, if you define an IT background as using "processes, and methodologies (such as coding/programming, data communications, data conversion, storage and retrieval, systems analysis and design, systems control) and associated equipment employed to collect, process, and present information.
Depends what kind of Informatics you do.
IT background will ALWAYS HELP.
If you are functioning as a simple project manager or an EHR super-duper user, you probably don't need a deep IT background. But if you want to do some data analytics and or application management, then yes, having an IT, computer science, or at least a statistical background can be essential.
I've seen plenty of pretty useless Informaticists who don't even have the basic computer application skillset you'd expect from a front office supervisor at any small business, who need help with simple functions in office applications, can't handle spreadsheet functions, much less write a SQL query.
divernurse
10 Posts
I am currently a hemodialysis nurse and interested in nursing informatics but without any IT background. I would like to know if nurse informatics is only for nurses who have degrees in computer science or IT?