What is Nursing Informatics and Why Does It Matter in Healthcare?

By Martina Mascali, Monster Contributor

In the rapidly evolving industry of healthcare, the integration of technology has become vital to improving patient outcomes and enhancing the efficiency of healthcare systems. Enter a field standing at the forefront of revolutionizing healthcare delivery through the seamless integration of technology and nursing practice. In this article, we answer the question “What is nursing informatics?” and explore how to become a nurse informaticist. You’ll also learn about the best locations to find a job, what your salary prospects could be, and much more.

What is Nursing Informatics?

Nursing informatics is an exciting and rapidly expanding field combining the power of healthcare and technology. At its core, nursing informatics prioritizes the acquisition, storage, retrieval, and application of healthcare data, information, and knowledge. It involves leveraging technology and data analytics to support evidence-based decision-making, facilitate communication and collaboration among healthcare professionals, and enhance the quality and safety of patient care.

As healthcare systems increasingly adopt electronic health records, data analytics, and advanced technology solutions, the need for professionals skilled in nursing informatics continues to grow. Most specialists working in this field have the job title of informatics nurse but other common titles include clinical informatics specialist, nursing informatics coordinator, informatics analyst, and nurse informatics consultant.

Nursing Informatics Examples

Nursing informatics serves several purposes within the healthcare setting. To better understand the answer to “what is nursing informatics and how is it used?”, check out these examples of nursing informatics primary functions and applications:

  • Electronic Health Records (EHRs): One of the key applications of nursing informatics is the implementation and management of electronic health records. These EHRs contain comprehensive patient information, including medical history, test results, medications, and treatment plans. Thanks to EHR systems, nurses can access accurate patient data, leading to better clinical decision-making, improved coordination of care, and enhanced patient safety.
  • Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS): Nurse informaticists develop and implement CDSS providing real-time information and evidence-based guidelines to assist healthcare professionals in making informed decisions. For example, CDSS can alert nurses about potential drug interactions, recommend appropriate diagnostic tests, and offer treatment suggestions based on best practices and patient-specific data.
  • Health Information Exchange (HIE): Nursing informatics plays a critical role in establishing crucial health information exchange networks that allow for the secure sharing of patient data across different health organizations and systems. HIE enables healthcare professionals to access comprehensive patient information regardless of the care setting, promoting continuity of care, reducing duplicate testing, and improving care coordination.
  • Telehealth and Remote Monitoring: With the increased adoption of telehealth and remote monitoring technologies, nursing informatics has become instrumental in facilitating virtual care delivery. Nurses leverage telehealth tools to conduct virtual consultations, monitor patients remotely, and provide education and support, enhancing access to care and improving patient satisfaction.

Why Is Nursing Informatics Important?

Nursing informatics is important to various stakeholders in the healthcare industry. First, it empowers healthcare professionals by providing them with tools and systems that streamline workflows, automate administrative tasks, and enhance communication.

Then, it also directly benefits patients by improving the access, quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare services. Lastly, nursing informatics benefits healthcare organizations as well, paving the way for a more efficient and technologically advanced healthcare system.

What Does a Nurse Informaticist Do?

Nurse informaticists work collaboratively with healthcare professionals, IT specialists, and other stakeholders to ensure seamless integration of technology into the healthcare environment. They hold diverse responsibilities, including:

  • utilizing technology for patient care
  • data management and analysis
  • system implementation and support
  • workflow optimization
  • policy development and compliance
  • training and educating other healthcare professionals

Where Do Nurse Informatics Work?

Most nurse informatics work in hospitals or healthcare systems. Other workplace settings for nursing informatics specialists include:

  • academic or research institutions
  • consulting or vending organizations
  • government or public health agencies
  • long-term care facilities
  • ambulatory care centers
  • insurance companies

What Education Do You Need to Work in Nursing Informatics?

Working in nursing informatics requires a solid educational foundation that combines healthcare expertise with technological proficiency. The most common educational requirement for nursing informatics jobs is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, followed by a Master of Science in Nursing Informatics.

Moreover, most specialists working in this field complete the nursing informatics certification offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Other certifications for nursing informatics include the CPHIM (Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems) and vendor-specific ones like Epic.

The following statistics reflect the current education level of nursing informatics specialists in the U.S.:

  • 48% of nursing informatics specialists hold a master’s degree
  • 29% have a bachelor's degree
  • 11% have an associate degree
  • 9% have a doctoral degree
  • 63% have completed additional training in nursing informatics

Nursing Informatics Competencies and Skills

Nursing Informatics professionals must possess a unique set of skills, knowledge, and competencies to effectively do their job and bring contributions to the advancement of patient care. These are the key nursing informatics skills and competencies you should have to thrive in this evolving field:

  • Technology proficiency: Familiarity with systems and applications relevant to healthcare, such as EHRs, HIE platforms, data analytics tools, telehealth technologies, and CDSS.
  • Data management and analysis: The ability to collect, organize, and manage healthcare data in a secure and meaningful manner.
  • Workflow design: Skilled in analyzing healthcare workflows and designing informatics solutions to optimize efficiency, quality, and patient safety.
  • Information security and privacy: Understand and adhere to regulations and best practices related to data privacy, confidentiality, and security, such as HIPAA regulations.
  • Leadership and project management: Nursing informatics skills that allow you to assume leadership roles include excellent oral and written communication and the ability to organize and prioritize tasks.
  • Education and training: Nursing informatics competencies involve developing educational materials, conducting training sessions, and providing ongoing support to ensure the proficiency of end-users. For effectively transferring knowledge and empowering others to leverage technology you also require skills in communication, patience, and adaptability.
  • Professional development and lifelong learning: As the role of nursing informatics is rapidly evolving and expanding, it’s imperative to stay updated on industry trends and participate in continuing education opportunities.

How Much Can You Earn in Nurse Informatics?

After finding the answer to “what is nursing informatics?” and learning why it’s important, and how to become a specialist in this field, surely your next question is about the typical nursing informatics salary. According to the Nursing Informatics Workforce Survey by HIMSS, 49% of nurse informatics specialist in the U.S. earns a yearly salary greater than $100,000. That’s roughly 10% who earn a salary of $151,000 or higher, 8% earning between $131,000 and %150,000, and 31% taking home $101,000 to $130,000.

How to Find Nurse Informatics Jobs

Finding the right job opportunity in this specialized field requires a strategic approach. Start by crafting a well-structured RN resume and a compelling RN cover letter that highlight your relevant experience, skills, and education in healthcare technology and informatics practices. Then, optimize both by using the specific qualifications and requirements outlined in the description of the nurse informatics jobs you want to apply to.

These are the top five states hiring the most health information technologists, including nurse informatics:

And these are the top-paying metropolitan areas:

Embark on an Exciting Journey in Nursing Informatics with Monster

Now you never need to ask “what is nursing informatics?” again, but don’t stop there. Take the next step by joining Monster today and gain access to a wealth of resources and opportunities in the field. Stay informed about the latest job openings in nursing informatics with tailored alerts. Plus, upload your resume to maximize your visibility to clinics ready to hire.