Transition from the Trenches back into IT

[labdad1234RN]

I have been reading the posts here of late. I am a Clinical Informatics Nurse Specialist working for a State University. I came about this position much like the other posters here. I was an I.T. refugee with various advanced credentials who pursued nursing as a career. I enjoyed being an RN working in various critical care and acute settings. One day, I was looking through the University job postings and found this job opening. I said to myself "why not". I applied and interviewed, and was offered the position.

I am in a job with a new department and with great supervisors.

Transferring from the Clinical and procedural setting to the world of IT was an interesting transition. I went through a period of "direct patient contact withdrawal". I asked myself at times why did I transfer? Being in a more compartmentalized IT world was different. The absence of beeping monitors, alarms, scrubbing in, and controlled chaos was deafening at one point, replaced by keyboard taps, and idle talk mixed in with d base commands and networking infrastructure. I had to admit it was nice to be with fellow "geeks" again. I was a little rusty with my v basic and SQL commands but it was like riding a bicycle, it all came back after a bit. I found it fun to exercise that side of my brain again. Though I found that my logical brain was great for nursing. I was able to do a lot of my nursing decisions based on a my logical algorithmic way of thinking.

I realized that except for another nurse who worked technical support, I was the only one with a strong healthcare background in the group except for our chief clinical information head, who was an M.D. . The rest of the crew were dyed in the wool techies and programming gurus who won't know the difference between a CBC and CMP, Imunoglobulin panel, and peak and trough levels. Some of my co workers would state they would get sick or faint at the site of body fluids and blood. In short, they don't know much about the healthcare side of the equation.

Enter, the CI Nurse specialist who speaks geek. I found myself advocating for the end-users such as the nurses and the providers. They are using the EHR and are seeing the patients who need care. Sometimes it would be a challenge to explain the logic behind how we as nurses think to IT folks. Now I find myself as the "bridge" to both worlds. I do a lot of problem solving. at times training and Tech support, and other functions depending on the priorities and assignments. I am slowly finding my new center and balance in my new role. We are upgrading our EHR to a new software system and the challenges abound.

Yes I do miss patient contact. I miss being with my "nurse family". But I see myself now as one who can still make a difference for my fellow healthcare professionals and ultimately the patients.

Thought I'd share with my fellow CI nurses and others who may be interested.

By the way, for those who are interested in pursuing this area of nursing, go for it. We are short on people here and need people. My own manager was asking me if I knew anyone. So there it is a little pitch for my group. Want to move to Illinois?

[LessValuableNinja]

I don't want to move to IL. I am moving in the opposite direction. I am a former medical refugee turned standard missile thrower and later IT project management ninja, who hadn't personally witnessed a sentinel event in far too long and is moving on the long path back to the middle or beginning, I'm not sure. I believe this cupcake in particular is called nurse practitioner ice topping.

My dad lives near Chicago though. I could swing by while visiting, accept a 2 week contract position or perhaps a PRN position every Christmas, and do my best to corrupt your databases while giving you needlesticks of the most contaminated sorts.

Because after all, your base are all belong to us.

[nursingismydream]

So happy to read your encouraging words. I am going back for my Master's in Nursing Informatics and am very excited. I, too, went thru the whole withdrawal stage. Literally was in tears my last day on the floor. Due to health issues, I was required to find a "desk nurse" job. Have been doing it almost four years now...and love it. While my current job is not in informatics, it has allowed me to work very closely with that department and pick their brains, so to speak. I feel that it is a great fit for me.

[theantichick]

Thanks for the encouragement. Health issues are pushing me back into the I.T. world. Wish I could move to Illinois, I'd jump at it, but alas my husband is in love with Texas. :)

[lao3610]

Hi, I actually have a similar background. I was software developer for 8 years and changed careers to nursing. I have been a nurse for 8 months and am missing that side of my brain so have been considering going into informatics. I am on the informatics/documentation committee at our hospital and can see the gap between the the NI and our software guy. I sometimes feel it is the path I should take because of the skills I have and it is an area in which I can make a great impact. I actually live in the Chicago area. I haven't found many informatics positions, plus it seems like they prefer more floor experience that I have. Where in Illinois are you?

[ikarus01]

I actually live in the Chicago area. I haven't found many informatics positions, plus it seems like they prefer more floor experience that I have. Where in Illinois are you?

How are you looking for jobs, i mean, what type of searches are you doing?

Also, given your experience, you might have better luck with a vendor. Depending on who the manager is, you might be asked for 50 years of nursing experience, if you apply at a hospital. Ok ok...Just kidding...is just that i have seen some offices that are run by former nurses and they demand somebody to have at least 3-5 years of clinical experience; while i've been in other places where even 6 months suffices, given your IT background.