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Discussion

Informatics opportunity

Hi all,

I have been an RN for 4.5 years now having graduated with an Associates in Nursing from an accredited college. I entered nursing having just graduated with a B.S. in computer science being as in 2002 there were many competing for jobs after the dotcom bust. So, I had originally planned to eventually go into informatics. Well, as fate has it, my hospital is going to change from Meditech to Soarian in a few weeks. The build stage is mostly done I suppose and will soon go live. My supervisor, not knowing about my computer science degree, had asked me to be a superuser. I told her that I would be excited to do so due to my previous degree. She then said, well if I'd know about your degree, I would have put you in on the build team. A few days later, I received an email from her stating that there may be an opening for a nurse to join the IT team while all the kinks in the system were being worked out. The position is temporary but could last up to a year. There is a lady who is supposed to call me, having received my contact info from my supervisor, but I've yet to hear from her after about 5 to 6 days. I guess, I'm excited and sitting on the edge of my seat hoping I get the position. I've purchased an informatics textbook (pub 2005) and a general database theory book both on Kindle for iPhone to brush up on information concepts.

My questions are as follows: Is this a good entry point into the field of informatics? Will I need any additional formal training? Any other recommendations for reading? Should I call her if I do not hear from her in a given amount of time? Would a year of experience in this position help me get informatics jobs afterward?

I've seen some jobs requiring a bachelor's in nursing. I have an associate's degree and hope that my bachelor's in computer science will account for something.

I love information technology. In college, I would rather write code (C++, Java) than eat or sleep. I don't anticipate being in a position to write code, but working with databases and reports may be fun as well. I would also look forward to training nurses to use the system.

Anyway, any input would be appreciated. Sorry for the length, I'm just really excited, even if I'm only a superuser.

thanks

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    • Featured Replies

    Sounds like a good foot in the door. Whether you need more training will depend upon your long-term goals. I would recommend reading up on information science and/or human-computer interaction. If you're interested in technology for patients (specifically related to behavior change) I would recommend "Persuasive Technology" by BJ Fogg.

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    • Author

    rninformatics (sorry can't remember your name),

    Thanks for your advise. I looked up that book on Amazon, and while it does seem interesting, do you feel that it's relevant to informatics? It seems that it would be more relevant for therapy work, but who am I to say. I am currently reading Managing Health Care Information Systems and Beginning Database Design. The former should help solidify my understanding of the issues involved with implementing a new system, the latter might aid me in conceptualizing how good data yields good information and thus good knowledge. I like to read about theory and concepts in favor of actual vendor-specific technology-that's more for the IT people. Are there any types of software products that are valuable to know, say Microsoft Office or some other productivity software?

    BTW, the job that I mentioned on the build/implementation team will not be publicly posted. I feel that the person with the final decision has a couple of people who she wishes to hand-pick for the position. I emailed her yesterday to express my enthusiasm and qualifications for the job. If that doesn't pan out, I will still be a super-user for the system...it's better than naught. I will get into informatics one way or another.

    Thanks again,

    Dustin

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    Hi Dustin,

    That advise originally came from Mission not me RNinformatics aka Angela

    If you enjoy theory and concepts below are fundamental HIS and NI texts:

    Englebardt, S., Nelson, R. Healthcare Informatics An Interdisciplinary Approach.

    Preparing for Success in Healthcare Information and Management Systems:

    The CPHIMS Review Guide

    Whether you're taking the CPHIMS exam or simply want the most current and comprehensive overview in healthcare information and management systems today--this new publication has it all.

    Information Systems for Healthcare Management, Sixth Edition by Charles J. Austin and Stuart B. Boxerman (Hardcover - Jan. 2003)

    "Nursing and Informatics for the 21st Century: An International Look at

    Practice, Trends and the Future"? Published by HIMSS,edited by

    Weaver, Delaney, Weber & Carr.

    Carty, B. (Ed.), , Nursing informatics: Education for practice (pp. 136-168). New York, NY: Springer.

    Graves, J. R., & Corcoran, S. (1989). The study of nursing informatics. Image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 21(4), pp. 227-231.

    Hannah, K.J., Ball, M. J., & Edwards, M.J.A. . Introduction to nursing informatics. NY: Springer-Verlag.

    Saba, V.K. & McCormick, K.A. Essentials of computers for nurses (2nd ed.). NY: C.V. Mosby.

    Ball, M.J., Hannah, K., Newbold, S.K., Edwards, J. (2000) Nursing Informatics Where Caring and Technology Meet.

    Informatics and Nursing: Opportunities & Challenges

    by Linda Q. Thede

    To name just a few........that should get you started!

    Enjoy!

    rninformatics (sorry can't remember your name),

    Thanks for your advise. I looked up that book on Amazon, and while it does seem interesting, do you feel that it's relevant to informatics? It seems that it would be more relevant for therapy work, but who am I to say. I am currently reading Managing Health Care Information Systems and Beginning Database Design. The former should help solidify my understanding of the issues involved with implementing a new system, the latter might aid me in conceptualizing how good data yields good information and thus good knowledge. I like to read about theory and concepts in favor of actual vendor-specific technology-that's more for the IT people. Are there any types of software products that are valuable to know, say Microsoft Office or some other productivity software?

    BTW, the job that I mentioned on the build/implementation team will not be publicly posted. I feel that the person with the final decision has a couple of people who she wishes to hand-pick for the position. I emailed her yesterday to express my enthusiasm and qualifications for the job. If that doesn't pan out, I will still be a super-user for the system...it's better than naught. I will get into informatics one way or another.

    Thanks again,

    Dustin

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    • Author

    Oops, sorry Mission, thanks for your advise.

    Angela,

    Wow! That's a dumptruck's load worth of reading. But I will cut and paste this literature list to my own personal file. I've ordered the Scope of Practice along with another nursing informatics book.

    One more question, the CPHIMSS (sp?) requires you to have a bachelor's and 5 years of experience in clinical systems. I'm assuming they mean from a programmer's/sysadmin's position. Or do they include end-user experience? I noticed that only a small percentage of nurses hold that certification, the most are in IT.

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    CPHIMS is a professional certification program for healthcare information and management systems professionals.

    Eligibility Criteria

    Eligibility standards are designed to include those experienced in healthcare information and management systems, but exclude others. To participate in the CPHIMS examination, a candidate must qualify under one of the following options.

    *Baccalaureate degree plus five (5) years of associated information and management systems experience*, three (3) of those years in healthcare.

    *Graduate degree plus three (3) years of associated information and management systems experience*, two (2) of those years in healthcare.

    *Associated information and management systems experience includes experience in the following functional areas: administration/management, clinical information systems, e-health, information systems, or management engineering.

    Oops, sorry Mission, thanks for your advise.

    Angela,

    Wow! That's a dumptruck's load worth of reading. But I will cut and paste this literature list to my own personal file. I've ordered the Scope of Practice along with another nursing informatics book.

    One more question, the CPHIMSS (sp?) requires you to have a bachelor's and 5 years of experience in clinical systems. I'm assuming they mean from a programmer's/sysadmin's position. Or do they include end-user experience? I noticed that only a small percentage of nurses hold that certification, the most are in IT.

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