1.

Qualifications of a nurse informaticist

o To advance to a master's degree or doctoral in nursing, a student must complete an accredited nursing
program and obtain a BSN. Successful completion of the NCLEX-RN is needed for licensure. The length of time it
takes to earn an MSN depends on the nurse's starting point:
o Nursing students enrolled in a BSN program complete in about four years
o - RN to BSN takes about two years
o - BSN to MSN takes about two years
o - BSN to DNP takes three to four years
o - MSN to DNP takes one to two years
o There are both online informatics programs and classroom programs available to accommodate students.
Both types have pros and cons depending on students' needs, therefore researching individual schools is
encouraged.
o Nursing informatics education requirements and training
o Educational prerequisite
o Examination, licensure, and certification
o Educational degree and license
o Programming knowledge
o Ability to work with health data systems
o Confidentiality and privacy
o Interpersonal skills
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2. Roles and competencies of a nurse informaticist

o Assisting in the transition from one system's technology to another
o Evaluating the success of implementation; revising as needed
o Serving as project managers
o Assisting in ensuring organizations meet federal health care laws such as HIPAA
o Serving as a resource to staff
o Serving as a liaison between staff and information technology experts
o Assessing user requirements and developing solutions
o Serving as an educator to staff and new nurses
o Developing organizational policies and standards
o Researching different informatics topics that affect health care providers as well as patients
o Researching various informatics issues impacting both health care providers and patients
o Assisting in the transition from development in one program to another
o Assessing and analyzing health care technology needs
o Designing systems technology
o Implementing the technology
o Evaluating the success of implementation
o Serving as project managers
o Ensuring that companies comply with federal health care laws
o Assessing user requirements and developing solutions
o Serving as a resource to staff
o Serving as a professional trainer to new nurse
o Developing organizational policies and standards

3. Career opportunities
o The expanding presence of computers and technology in health care has led to more crossover career opportunities
—including nurse informatics. By combining technology and nursing, this specialty utilizes the skills needed to
improve health care efficiency and enhance patient safety.
o Working Conditions
o Nurse informaticists work in many different areas such as:
o Hospitals
o Clinics
o Long-term care facilities
o Nursing schools
o Health care consulting firms
o IT companies
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