Specialty change: ICU RN to Nurse Informatics

[jbdang]

Hi, I have been a RN for 2 years in my mids 20'. I have experience in Medsurg, ICU, and PACU.

Just recently just been offer a position to be a Nurse Informatics (non-clinical). The hospital is willing to train me and match my current salary (minus INH) . This area of nurse in totally new to me and I'm very curious about it and what it may hold. I'm excited about this new opportunity, but I can not shake this feeling of uncertainty "if I am making the right decision".

Up until now i always thought that I would become a Super ICU RN and obtain my master in a nursing. But I have no interested in any of the MSN (educator, practitioner, ...) until i learn about Informatics.

Negative:

-Work 5 days a week 8 hours a day.

-Salary base, no room to work extra money (this is a biggie for me, i have a lot of financial obligation i have to my parents)

-Away from bedside and critical thinking

-Bringing work home

Positive:

-Something new

-My body no longer deteriorate (arthritis at 20' with lower back pain!)

-Less stress

-Possibly great opportunities in the future

-Combine my interest (technologies) with my passion (nursing)

-I can see myself doing this into my 40' and 50'

Am I making the right decision?

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Informatics is a great NURSING specialty practice area... just because you aren't touching patients does not mean it's not nursing. If this is the direction you want to go, you should probably know that you can get an MSN in NI. This is the degree required for all of our senior NI positions. You can still be a Super NI.

In my organizations, all NI positions are salaried - so no overtime is possible but they are well paid. However, the hours are variable since they are critical to the success of any new clinical applications. They also develop training programs for clinical applications, review/evaluate new technology, manage implementation projects, etc.

Don't kid yourself about less stress - it's just different stress. You'll be working with all sorts of 'customers' and dealing with very tight timelines; you'll be expected to continuously update your skills and learn new applications and technology. And many of our NIs say that the toughest part of the job is to make sure that Nursing is represented when the movers & shakers start making big plans without considering how it will affect clinical staff.

Best of Luck to you!

[JulieBoolie]

I know this is an old thread and you have probably already made your decision but I just have to vent. This sounds like me! I made the change last August. They gave me the title of Lead Clinical Analyst. I told them I would need education and they said they would provide it. They wanted me for my leadership abilities. Well all of that was a big fat lie. I worked with 3 other nurses who were my team of clinical analysts. I was constantly sabotaged by all of them. Found out that one wanted my position which she got. I was even given a performance improvement review after 2 months. Can you believe it? 2 MONTHS. This after being verbally abused by my immediate supervisor. 33 yrs as an ICU nurse, with nothing positive reviews years after years. Horrible experience. The corporate world was not for me. I went to my old ICU manager and got an immediate transfer to day charge nurse.

Just be careful. Get everything in writing. And know that the corporate world can be cutthroat.