Nursing student needs advice in Nursing Informatics

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Hello,

I am in my second year into my BSN RN program. I never heard of this specialty until my professor from the first semester suggested it after she saw my Power point presentation that I formatted it to be like a Jeopardy game show and was impressed with it. Anyway, I have always been a computer person, but not as much as I used to be anymore since school kept me busy. I think I have a raw talent in graphic design more so than any other computer specialty, but I was in the computer science major (more opportunity than graphic design) but then I found out that I enjoy healthcare better. However, I do not want to lose the computer side of me and hope I incorporate two things that I enjoy doing together.

There is not that much information in Informatics and I do not know what to expect. I really don't like analyzing a bunch of numbers and statistics. What I hope to do in Nursing informatics is that to help develop a software to make it user friendly and improve workflow so we can better care for our patients.

If Nursing informatics is not for me, I actually have one strong passion that only pertains to healthcare, which is health promotion. I would love to have a position as patient educator. but this will be posted in a different forum. Thought I just put it out there.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Specializes in Oncology Home Care.

Are asking where to find information about nursing informatics? Have you checked out the American Nursing Informatics Association (ANIA) for more information. There is also a nursing informatics magazine you may want to subscribe to (it's available at a discounted rate if you join the ANIA) called Computers, Informatics, Nursing found at LWW or do a search and you will find it easily.

And no, nursing informatics is not all about numbers and statistics, I work for a home healthcare agency and we use laptops in the field. We have 2 nursing informatics nurses on staff who work with the software company to develop it and to continue improving upon the software, making our job out in the field easier and safer for our patients. If we (field nurses) have an idea on how to improve the software for better outcomes we pitch the idea to the informatics nurse who works with the software company to make it happen.

We've been using laptops in the field for about 2 years now and I love it and it's great having 2 nursing informatics nurses on staff, they do teaching as well and are always available to help when problems with the software arise.

This is a great field to get into and I suggest looking at all the information (the two suggestions above) available now while your are still in school. Plenty of work in this field and if you educate yourself now about this exciting field, you will be prepared for a job in this nursing specialty after graduation.

The ANIA has a forum, newsletter, member directory and more, a great place to network for your first nursing job as a nursing informatics nurse.

Good Luck, I wish all the best!

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my question is how marketable are nurse informatics?i have been in the clinical setting for a while and im honestly unhappy with the bedside care and nurses drama.i want to pursue informatics but im really concerned with the job market.who would honestly know how real jobmarket is like??i dont even know of any nurse who has pursued this path so im kind of clueless .any comment is welcome thanks

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Specializes in ICU, Informatics.

Anyone who tells you it's a sure thing is probably trying to sell you something. That being said, the industry is growing at a phenomenal rate right now. I would foresee strong growth into the near future due to the complexities of current health reform initiatives and the shifting sands of reimbursement. It's somewhat counter intuitive, but right now hospitals are ramping up IT departments at the same time they are cutting back in other areas, historically IT is hit during times of belt tightening. The best thing you can do right now is become an expert at what you are doing and increase your skills in the areas of project management and training. If you can become a super user for your facilities EHR that will make entry that much easier.

It really is a great field which offers a wonderful array of opportunities that you can take your career after you get your foot in the door.

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Specializes in cardiac/critical care/ informatics.

Nursing Informatics is in its infancy and growing rapidly. It is needed and hospitals that have gone up with EHR that do not have a strong informatics team will not do well, they are finding out the need and developing their informatics department. I would not recommend trying to go into this field without getting a few years under your belt in bedside nursing. It is a needed foundation and some informatics department require at least 3 years exp. I know my department does.

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ANIA (American Nursing Informatics Association) is a great place to look for info about NI.

HIMSS has a NI community and a NI list serv (for those who join):

HIMSS - Nursing Informatics Community

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Specializes in MS, Tele, CM, Informatics.

Im currently a enrolled in a MSN-Nursing Informatics program. It appears this will be a much needed field. As more healthproviders are looking for software programs to use and other are looking for upgrades. Magnet hospitals and those that are starting the process of Magnet will be looking to have 80% of the direct care staff RN's to obtain BSN by 2020. I wish you the best with your studies. You sound like you have a good background with computers. I wanted to explore this as a career option after being train by a super user that was visiting a hospital I worked at a few years ago. That reported there was a degree programs for it, and she too was looking at going back to school to get the degree aspect.

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