Landed Informatics Job - Now What?

[JulieCVICURN, BSN, RN]

Hello!

I'm hoping some of you can offer some advice. I've done a search but to be truthful, I'm not sure what key terms I'd even use to find what I'm looking for.

I'm a CV ICU nurse (as evidenced by my username, ha!). I've just had an amazing stroke of luck in that my facility has a department devoted to Informatics, and I am the first ever person to fill the position of Clinical Informatics Specialist. I was just notified, after a long interview process, that I was chosen for the position.

My new department is currently a little bit of a fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants operation. I'm okay with that. As a former project manager for many small companies and different industries, I know that this is an environment I can work with. I also know that the people I will be working with are good, smart people. I've worked with them for years when I was an RN. I'm not concerned about my ability to learn in the field, because I'm a quick learner and I LOVE all things computer related.

Here are my two dilemmas: I have no experience in Informatics. I'm very computer savvy and have project managed database and website builds, which is different than Informatics, but still, at least somewhat in the same universe. The team that hired me knows I have no experience and is planning to send me to all kinds of training, but I gleaned from the interviews that they're not really even sure what kind of training they need to send me to, other than stuff with the vendors, etc. I'm not worried about their lack of preparation, because I know them and I do believe that they desperately want success for me and the department and they're just learning as they go along, as am I.

So...can anyone suggest trade publications, links, websites? Anything to get me started? I'm sure there are lots of posts with all this information, but I promise you I've been looking and have found some info, but would like more.

Last stupid question - will I be hireable as a bedside nurse if this doesn't work out? I'm thinking that for me, this is my new, rest of my life career path. I can feel in my gut that everything I've done before is what lead me to this point. But if it's not, will anyone hire me back into critical care if say, in a year, it turns out I hate this? I'm a good critical care nurse (for 3 years experience, anyway). I'm worried that the gap in experience could mean the end of my bedside nursing.

Part of my plan is to try to work 1 night a month in my old CVICU unit if it works out.

Last question - I've heard this is the time to be an Informatics nurse. That it's a field that's totally exploding right now. Do those of you in the know think that's true?

Thanks for any feedback!

Julie

[Dreamer-RN]

So...can anyone suggest trade publications, links, websites? Anything to get me started? I'm sure there are lots of posts with all this information, but I promise you I've been looking and have found some info, but would like more.

Congrats on your new job! Try these websites: Healthcare IT News, HIMSS, and ANIA-CARING to start. Also, to learn more about the government's initiatives for Healthcare IT (e.g., meaningful use), go to http://www.hhs.gov/healthit

Part of my plan is to try to work 1 night a month in my old CVICU unit if it works out.

I think this is a reasonable plan for maintaining your clinical skills.

Last question - I've heard this is the time to be an Informatics nurse. That it's a field that's totally exploding right now. Do those of you in the know think that's true?

This may depend on your local area. However, I believe there is some truth to this. Due to many hospitals are trying to update their technologies to meet Meaningful Use for government reimbursement, there is a demand for Health Informatics professionals. Personally, thus far, I'm getting contacted often by recruiters/employers seeking Nurse Informatics professionals. Therefore, I think it's a good time to be in Healthcare IT.

Best wishes on your new job!

[rninformatics, DNP, RN]

Greetings and Welcome Julie,

You are right! This is an amazing stroke of luck! A new Informatics professional could not ask for a better scenario.

A great entry level position in a new department with good colleagues and leadership that is willing to support your need for education and training! WOW, talk about SWEET deal! CONGRATS.

The areas Dreamer RN suggestioned are excellent, should give you a good start.. and there are other's posted on this forum - so please do continue your fact finding here.

I'd also suggest you do a search of this forum using the term "texts" or "NI texts"

This is an excellent time to either be an experienced or a new informaticist. There is a shortage of experienced informatics professionals combined with the federal quality mandate that all hospitals and "eligible providers" become "meaningful users" of the EHR. Again there are tons of content on this forum to get you started in learning about ARRA, MU and Informatics fundamentals. If you need more, feel free to PM or e-mail me and I can provide additional assistance.

Good Luck with the new role!

[JulieCVICURN, BSN, RN]

Thank you both so much for your responses! I was getting worried that nobody was going to see my post. I appreciate it!

I'm going to check out the stuff you suggested, and I will take you up on the PM, rninformatics, as soon as I come up with something that's not incomprehensible to ask you about!

[rninformatics, DNP, RN]

LOL, okay. Oh I forgot to add that keeping your bedside clinical skills up by working once a month is a good idea.

[DM74LA]

Congrats,

I just landed an informatics job myself, although my organization will have five informatics nurses. The first thing I would do is learn the management structure and secondly the structure of your network. Then start asking questions. Who made the initial decision to create this position? Surely there was some ephemeral idea of a need. Secondly, I'd ask if your current clinical software system is meeting the needs/goals it was purchased for. Is it possible to find out what the hospitals goals were in purchasing and what were the vendor's selling points? Is the software living up?

Is management able to generate the metrics/reports they need to formulate valuable information? (Do they need to ask different or better questions to reflect current issues or core measures?) If not, there may be a problem with data capture or how the the database is set up. You may need to add fields to user input or take a look at how well the tables in your database are normalized. Are the users entering information correctly, or just selecting the easiest response due to time constraints?

If the software does not seem to reflect the "meaningful use" concept, you may consider the need to upgrade with the same vendor or choose a new vendor entirely. There will be reimbursement coming from the federal government and that's why my hospital went with a new system.

(My first day on the job, which was Thursday, we met with our vendor rep and hashed out Plans of Care, Problems vs Outcomes. The issue was deciding what Plans of Care/Problem areas we needed and then mapping them between the vendor and another agency that offers decision support tools that the vendor will incorporate into the software. I've decided Excel may be a good program to get acquainted with. All this is just a side note in case you were curious.)

As far as your concerns of being a hireable as a nurse, the answer is yes-provided you maintain your license and any ACLS/CPR creds that you need. One of my first questions was if I would need extra CEUs now that I was not practicing bedside nursing. I had asked one of my coworkers who had personally called the state board of nursing and was informed that NI is still considered nursing and would not require additional CEUs. Your state may be different.

I hope this helps, I'm still new and wet to informatics but this is the route I would take if I was not actively implementing new software.

Dustin

[JulieCVICURN, BSN, RN]

Thank you! Actually, Illinois requires 20 hours of CEU's every two years to maintain a nursing license. I was more concerned about if anyone would want me to be a bedsied nurse after a few years out of ICU, but maybe it won't matter anyway.