MSN in Informatics

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

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

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.

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. :)

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

"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.

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

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.

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,

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??

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.

I am currently at wgu and looking for any information about their program. I have spoken to a few people but know one has any specific answers. Could you give me a run down of the classes and any other info? Thanks