MSN in Informatics

Updated:   Published

Specializes in Med/tele, Ortho/surgical, transplant.

Hey guys, I am getting ready to pursue my masters in informatics and am having a hard time deciding on a program. I was looking into Capella and Walden and have read some pretty negative reviews. I am just wondering where did you pursue your informatics degree and how did you like the program? This is a big investment and I want to make sure I make a good decision. Thanks in advance for any advice!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Online University | Online Degree Programs | WGU has an MSN Informatics.

CCNE and regionally accredited/ Non-profit / NLN Center of Excellence

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Excelsior College. ACEN and regional accreditation, nonprofit, NLN Center of Excellence four times in a row. I have my MSN in Nursing Informatics from EC, excellent program.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in informatics for 10 years.

In the overall scheme of life, I would go for the cheapest, most convenient program. At the end of the day, most nursing informatics programs will just give you an overview of informatics. Depending on your commitment to nursing, I would also look at healthcare informatics masters' degrees. They tend to have better informatics courses than those found in a nursing program.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Outpatient/Clinic, ClinDoc.

I just finished the WGU program in informatics. YMMV, but was able to finish in under a term so it was by far the cheapest option. I enjoyed the program, although I was the first grad so there were a few glitches along the way. :)

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

Just about to finish at Duke. All online. Top of the line. Love it!!!!!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

"most nursing informatics programs will just give you an overview of informatics" disagree. It is a very specialized program. Healthcare informatics are not nursing degrees and the Nursing Informatics require a nursing degree. I am almost done and I am surely not "just getting an overview of informatics" End-user satisfaction in the clinical setting needs NURSES to help set up and tweak the programs not any healthcare IT person.

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in informatics for 10 years.
mmc51264 said:
End-user satisfaction in the clinical setting needs NURSES to help set up and tweak the programs not any healthcare IT person.

Right. And that's why all EMR vendors only hire nurses because they are the only ones who can configure EMRs! /s :saint:

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, Peds, Education, Infection Control.

I don't know specifically about their informatics program because I'm in a different MSN track (nurse educator), but if you're looking at online programs, so far, I really have had a great experience with Jacksonville University. Their interface is really user-friendly and it's an intense program, but I really feel like I'm getting my money's worth.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

I specifically chose Informatics for my MSN instead of nursing education (I have a masters in teaching). I want to learn the Informatics part and when I finish my DNP, I can teach if I want to. I did not care to be pigeon-holed in a nursing education role. My informatics program is very detailed from the reduction of end-user clicks to data analytics, data mining, the software that goes with it (we are learning software that the whole of the IT program at Duke has only heard of). It is not easy. It is not an overview. It is different than an IT education or even an EPIC builder. Very complicated and very hard to find people qualified to do it at the organizational level,

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Mother/Baby and LDR.

Is the nursing informatics degree more about building your own programs? Or just how to use the programs? I'm so confused. I want to teach the medical staff how to use the programs. Or what is needed to make the program work for the different units etc??

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in informatics for 10 years.
IndyMitchell said:
Is the nursing informatics degree more about building your own programs? Or just how to use the programs? I'm so confused. I

Neither. An informatics program gives you a foundation of what informatics is about. Vendors create programs and they are all very unique to a setting. An informatics program can't possibly teach you all these programs. Is like completing a business master's degree---the degree is not going to teach you how to run a specific business, but it will introduce you to theories, idea on how businesses are run.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion