Who's your daddy? NI Supervision?

[muzzy, RN]

Day 3 of new Clinical Informaticist position (new to me and new to hospital). Am in technology department at hospital that is implementing EHR, automated pharmacy and work force management. Curious, as to where you other nurse informaticists fit in at your hospitals. Do you report to Chief Nursing Officer or Technology people? Pros and Cons, what do you feel is more efficient in terms of smooth implementation processes, being the best asset to organization.

[Debbie Gring]

good morning!

i have reported over the past 10 years to both sides of the fence. i've reported to vp of nursing, then when she had too many direct reports to the director of education (also in nursing department). then with the thought we were going to be getting a new clinical documentation system the hospital created a new job, director of clinical informatics whom i reported to. after she moved away and that hospital was no longer getting a new system i reported to one of the managers in is. i have since retired from that position and have a newer position across the country and am in the is department. my fellow clinical analyst and i report directly to the director of is. that being said, no matter who i reported to in the first position i always was pencil lined into is or nuring. in current position we retain close connections with the clinical areas and the cno in all we do.

as for pros and cons, the clinical folks have no idea what we do. the is folks have no idea about clinical matters for the most part. looking back, i am not sure it matters so much as to who you report to, it's maintaining the close ties to both departments that is the most important. we have to think like the clinical folk we are but temper that with the technical world too. almost like a split personality! lol good luck!

debbie g

[muzzy, RN]

Thanks for the info. Funny you mention split personalities-as I work at psychiatric facility