This article was updated on January 30, 2024.
Written by Michael Feder
This article was reviewed by Raelene Brooks, Dean, College of Nursing.
Healthcare organizations regularly gather patient data, but what do they do with it? Healthcare professionals understand that nursing informatics affects every stage of the data usage process. People who collect patient data, isolate trends in the data and analyze those trends inform more efficient processes that impact patients’ quality of care.
The nursing informatics specialty integrates nursing science, computer science and information science. Nurses who develop these skills use them to manage and communicate data, information, knowledge and wisdom in nursing practice .It leverages science and data analytics to collect, sort and analyze patient information. No matter the format patient data takes — electronic medical records, diagnostic tests, even vital signs —informatics helps other medical professionals draw conclusions from data trends that can inform better patient care.
Informatics professionals often take leadership roles. They may be responsible for  that include:
Effective nursing informatics can benefit patients, medical professionals and healthcare businesses. As the medical landscape has evolved, it has become increasingly essential. Hospitals and clinics use informatics to support their patients, nurses and other healthcare providers in decision-making. It plays a critical role in the healthcare system in the following ways:
Nursing informatics can improve patient care by enhancing the . Accurate records enable better decision-making and reduce the risk of medical errors. That can lead to more-personalized care plans, especially when data highlights patterns and trends for individual patients.
It’s not just patients and individual providers who benefit from informatics. Healthcare systems are increasingly reliant on digital technology. Nursing informatics is the key to managing those complex systems. Organizations that embrace informatics can streamline workflows and improve communication, especially when handling sensitive patient data.
By analyzing large data sets, it can help stakeholders identify public health trends and inform policy decisions. Consider the role of . It played a role in tracking the virus’s spread. It also informed public health decisions and how to manage resources.
Informatics and statistics can also play a role in . Physicians, insurance companies, governments and, of course, patients all have a vested interest in improving life expectancy. Nursing informatics can give greater insight into how to decrease population mortality. As more providers collect and share data, it allows for better predictions about patient outcomes.
Current nurses can benefit from expertise in informatics via , whether that’s becoming a nursing director or clinical manager. These roles don’t just influence patient care on a larger scale. They also play a significant part in shaping healthcare’s future in the following ways:
Typically, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is required to work in nursing informatics. This requires interested candidates to first be a registered nurse. Becoming an RN requires graduating from an approved diploma nursing program, earning an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN), or earning a BSN, and obtaining licensure as a registered nurse in at least one state. If an RN has not already earned their BSN, they may choose to enter an RN to BSN program to earn their bachelor’s degree.
If you’re eager to go beyond data collection and basic skills in this field, you may wish to consider a Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Informatics. First, registered nurses must obtain their bachelor’s degree. The master’s degree teaches advanced nursing theory and research to provide the foundation for nurse leaders to help influence the future of nursing and healthcare.
Nursing informaticists maintain a variety of responsibilities. The exact duties of these professionals often vary. Common day-to-day duties include the following tasks:
Those are just several responsibilities that a informaticist may have. There may be more.
Professionals in nursing informatics rely on a variety of skills in a clinical environment. These can include the following skills:
Some of the positions along this career trajectory include the following paths.
Top-tier executives oversee the daily operations and long-term strategic planning for healthcare facilities or multiple departments. They usually manage staff, budgets and administrative tasks. They’re also liaisons between medical staff and upper management. Two potential degrees from °®ÎŰ´«Ă˝ that can help in pursuit of this goal are the Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Informatics and the Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Nurse Administration.
Clinical managers often have similar responsibilities to clinical directors, including administrating staff and payroll. Unlike directors, however, a clinical manager usually oversees a single department at an operational — not strategic — level. Most clinical managers have a master’s degree in fields like business administration, healthcare management, public health administration or healthcare administration.
Nursing directors are high-level professionals who oversee nursing activities in a healthcare facility. Nursing directors manage, direct and coordinate the nursing team to ensure efficient, effective patient care. Some employers prefer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing for this role. In some cases, employers prefer a Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Nurse Administration.
Nursing informatics describes a subset of health informatics. °®ÎŰ´«Ă˝ offers a Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Informatics. In this program, students learn information systems, research, advocacy, advanced nursing practice, operations and continuous quality improvement. Career outcomes with this degree include becoming a clinical director or manager, or a nursing director.Â
If you’re ready to start, apply to the programĚý´Ç°ůĚýrequest additional information.
A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and its Writing Seminars program and winner of the Stephen A. Dixon Literary Prize, Michael Feder brings an eye for detail and a passion for research to every article he writes. His academic and professional background includes experience in marketing, content development, script writing and SEO. Today, he works as a multimedia specialist at °®ÎŰ´«Ă˝ where he covers a variety of topics ranging from healthcare to IT.
Dr. Raelene Brooks, dean of the College of Nursing, has been a registered nurse for more than 25 years and practiced extensively in the areas of ICU, trauma and critical care. Her publications include a focus on nursing education, critical care and diversity, equity and inclusion. She is a leader in creating, guiding and launching innovative curriculum.
This article has been vetted by °®ÎŰ´«Ă˝'s editorial advisory committee.Â
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