iSeries Computer Programmer Turned Nurse

perseus29 · Jul 9, 2006

If you're working for a company, most likely you won't be doing patient care. However, maybe if you're working as a nurse in a hospital, and they pull you in to work in a project you might still be involved in patient care and IT at the same time; however, most of the times the position could be purely IT. Most hospitals now seem to have a specific position for the informatics nurse, and the job requirement most of the times wont ask the position to be involved with doing patient care; it might say you might be working with other nurses involved in patient care, but the position itself won't be doing that; unless of course, is a hospital that doesnt have an informatics position, and they ask their nurses to work on the IT project. You can always, if you have the time, work as an informatics nurse, and have a nursing job on the side if you want to continue doing 100% patient care. Does the nurse remain involved in clinical areas---sure, doing process flows of the clinical area, training users, etc.

rninformatics, DNP, RN · Jul 10, 2006

After reading some of the posts in this forum, I assume the nurse no longer provides patient care. Does the informatic nurse remain involved in clinical areas? Is the position more of an I.T. position than an R.N. position? Can anyone tell me a little more about this speciality field? Additional information would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance! :typing

Hellp Cwinlv,

I'd suggest you doing additional research on the specialty of Nursing Informatics. There are several additional websites and wonderful texts that will help you get a better idea of exactly what an Informatics Nurse does. In the mean time and in answer to your questions. A nurse who has been hired (by an acute care facility or a vendor) into an informatics nurse role does not provide direct patient care. Yes the responsiblitites and skill sets needed in such a role would combine knowledge of nursing, healthcare and IT/IS. That does not mean she/he doesnt practice part-time (an a totally seperate hands on provider role) but the role of an Informatics Nurse does not normally (see the ANA/ANCC definition of Nursing Informatics) include direct patient hands-on care. Although she/he would be using his/her previous nursing knowledge in their informatics role.

oneLoneNurse · Jul 13, 2006

Love the AS400 check out: MedSeries4 Siemens product. They were seeking people and probably will be when you graduate. Main office for MedSeries4 is SLC, UT.

Three years ago I made the decision to leave computer programming (iSeries/AS400) with 15 years experience and become a registered nurse, something I'd always wanted to do. I am in the last year of study and am working as a NAP (nurse apprentice) on an oncology unit.
Being familiar with my background, one of my clinical instructors suggested I look into the Nurse Informatics field. I have not yet decided on a speciality in nursing, but combining my computer knowledge with medicine certainly sounds appealing.
After reading some of the posts in this forum, I assume the nurse no longer provides patient care. Does the informatic nurse remain involved in clinical areas? Is the position more of an I.T. position than an R.N. position? Can anyone tell me a little more about this speciality field? Additional information would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance! :typing