Does working in an informatics position make you an informatics nurse?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency, Education, Informatics.

Recently i've ben involved in a discussion, both online and face to face about what an informatics nurse is. The discussion revolved around education, certification and job position.

Does working as a nurse in an IT department actually make you an informatics nurse? My friends who are Masters Trained and certified, say NO! That a person calling themselves an informatics nurse without the education or the certification is like a CNA calling them selves a nurse.

I took their work for it. Then as the discussion grew, I thought I'd need a wider view point.

So what IS an informatics nurse?

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I think it's kind of like a legal nurse consultant ... that title requires neither the formal training nor the certification, but only that you're working as one. I know nurse informaticists in my MSN (Informatics) program who are working on the education portion but don't yet hold the certification or the MSN; I would still call them informatics nurses. Does being an ER nurse require advanced degrees or the CEN? No, but they're nice to have and demonstrate a commitment to the profession.

I am one course and a capstone from finishing my MSN in Informatics, and even with the education, I wouldn't call myself an informatics nurse yet because I'm still an ER nurse. Once I work in the field? Sure.

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There are no official certifications or licensures for informatics. Currently, any RN who self identifies as an informatics nurse is one. It would be like an RN saying they are a cardiac or pediatric nurse. There are no official certifications for it. It is the work experience that makes you an informatics nurse. I do know one school that is trying to say that an " informatics specialist" has a graduate degree in informatics. Employers value work experience over academic education for informatics nurses. An informaticist can be in any specialty, it is not specific to nursing. Right now anyone can claim to be an informatics nurse if they are an RN who works in information technology. With that said, it is a new field and this may change soon. Especially if a graduate level certification process is finalized. I am an informatics nurse with both clinical and academic experience. I am constantly explaining to my coworkers what informatics even means, lol.

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Specializes in Management, Med/Surg, Clinical Trainer.

True, degree or not if someone has worked in IT\EMR arena for sometime they will count themselves as an informatics nurse. In time it would be nice if all are certified, but what are we finding....certification does not always equate to experience in the field and experience in the field does not mean someone is certified.

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Actually there is a certification for informatics nurse

The information is from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCN). Here are the requirements to even take the certification exam

Hold a current, active RN license within a state or territory of the United States or the professional, legally recognized equivalent in another country..

Hold a bachelor's or higher degree in nursing or a bachelor's degree in a relevant field.

Have practiced the equivalent of 2 years full-time as a registered nurse.

Have completed 30 hours of continuing education in informatics nursing within the last 3 years.

Meet one of the following practice hour requirements:

Have practiced a minimum of 2,000 hours in informatics nursing within the last 3 years.

Have practiced a minimum of 1,000 hours in informatics nursing in the last 3 years and completed a minimum of 12 semester hours of academic credit in informatics courses that are part of a graduate-level informatics nursing program.

Have completed a graduate program in informatics nursing containing a minimum of 200 hours of faculty-supervised practicum in informatics nursing.

After the exam is passed the nurse is RN-BC in informatics.

Informatics courses are now being taught as a separate course in some nursing schools

Kputman

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Specializes in retired from healthcare.

I think also there are various levels of this in the same way that there are C.N.A.s, LPNs and R.N.s.

Please correct me if this is wrong.

I've checked out the following link.

Education

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Here's a question that was answered on the HIMSS website. I think it deals with the original question, and then some!

What is a nurse informatics specialist and what's the difference between that role and the current role of a nurse in our healthcare system today?

Answers from Cheryl Parker and Karen S. Martin

Source URL: http://www.himss.org/ResourceLibrary/ResourceDetail.aspx?ItemNumber=11750
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Please note there is an informatics certification - ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center). Go to Informatics Nursing to learn more.

It is actually Nursing Informatics: Standards and Scope of Practice that states that an informatics specialist has a graduate degree.

However, I agree that neither an advanced degree or certification define the informatics nurse.

-Informatics Nurse 4 years

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I would agree with a nurse that works in IT can call themselves and informatics nurse because they work with processes, information, and turning that data into meaningful work.

But they are not an informatics nurse specialist, and that requires as masters degree in nursing to use that title.

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