Indiana Nurse Informatics Certification - IN

By allied health world contributing writer
Published: October, 10 2011

Indiana, also known as "Hoosier" state, stands proud in the Midwest with small town charm to capture the heart of the nursing informatics professional looking for career opportunities. With the Indianapolis 500, beautiful forests, caves to explore, and Amish pies to taste, Indiana provides a scenic backdrop for pursuing a career in nursing informatics. In addition, the state offers an array of educational experiences with several diverse options for the individual interested in a nursing informatics degree.

While those with an interest in nursing informatics in Indiana can enter the field in a number of ways, most find that obtaining a four-year degree is the best place to start. Students may choose from specific health informatics degrees and, it may be helpful to consider that a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) is required for eligibility to take the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center (ANCC) certifications test for Nursing Informatics. Some individuals may start with a two-year degree or diploma, but continue on to earn their BSN before becoming certified. The most favored manner of getting into nursing informatics, however, is to earn a Master’s in Nursing Informatics from the beginning, although many individuals start their career prior to earning their master’s degree.

Most nurses in the informatics field start in a specialty area, such as intensive care, perioperative services, orthopedic nursing, or oncology, just to name a few, and work in that specialty field for an extended period. Working in a specialty area helps nurses get to know the normal working processes and routines as well as understand the patient care process in their specialty. They usually are experts at their specialty and then develop interests in computerized documentation or some other technological healthcare focus. They then tend to gradually move into an information systems clinical support role.

Those interested in pursing a career in nursing informatics in Indiana should have strong verbal and communication skills, analytical skills as well clinical knowledge and technical proficiency. Obtaining a master’s degree or certificate in nursing informatics, health informatics or related fields will improve salary and job potential. A master’s degree in informatics is required for advanced nursing informatics positions.

Indiana nursing informaticists meeting eligibility criteria and passing an examination may also become a Certified Professional in Healthcare Information Management Systems (CPHIMS) or a Certified Professional in Health Information Technology (CPHIT). They will then have an Indiana nursing informatics certification.