Nursing Informatics Degrees

By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: January 14th, 2010

Nursing Informatics Degree

To become certified as a nursing informatics professional, the first step is to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, which is a requirement to sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) nursing informatics certification exam. BSN programs combine clinical with academic knowledge and take four years to complete.

Following the BSN, there are a few routes one can take to achieve a career in this field. The most direct route is a master’s degree that specializes in nursing informatics. Some individuals choose to instead earn a master’s degree in nursing, master’s in Nursing Informatics Degree

business administration (MBA), or a master’s degree with an information technology focus.

Learn more about the nursing informatics career.

Are there certificate programs in nursing informatics?

There are postgraduate certificate programs in nursing informatics, which require one to have their RN and a BSN or other bachelor’s degree as a prerequisite. These programs are typically a year in duration and are offered through colleges and universities, both traditional and online. While a master’s degree in nursing informatics is preferred for a job in this field, oftentimes individuals do not have the time or money to commit so will instead choose to earn a certificate in this field.

Learn more about the nursing informatics salary.

What prerequisites are required for entry into the field of nursing informatics?

Since most nursing informatics programs are master’s level, a bachelor’s degree is required along with a registered nurse credential. Many programs require that individuals have a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree for entry.

What types of courses are included in a nursing informatics program?

The courses included in a nursing informatics program vary by program. Most programs include the following types of courses:

Nursing Theory – includes information on theories that apply to IT such as the Change Theory.
Health Policy – includes information on how to influence technology at the local, state, and federal level.
Internet and Health Issues – course about the ethical, legal, and social issues related to technology.
Database Management – provides an understanding of how to organize and store data.
Knowledge Management – includes information on standardized languages and terminology.
Human Technology Interface – includes information on ergonomics and usability.
Research Methods – includes information on how to evaluate research.
Decision Support – course regarding evidence-based care.
System Life Cycle – this course includes steps from gathering requirements to evaluating a system.
Change management – Involves the utilization of change theory in supporting and developing process improvement plans
Health care informatics – Larger informatics umbrella that incorporates all different areas of healthcare informatics including medical, nursing and IT roles.
Basic software design – Design and development for healthcare software systems.
Basic Programming – Some nursing informaticists will have had some training in basic programming and utilize these skills in their daily work activities.

Are internships typically a requirement of nursing informatics degree programs?

Some master’s degrees in nursing informatics require internships or practicum experiences to allow students to gain hands-on knowledge in this field. Typically at the master’s degree level between three and six semester credits worth of internship or practicum experience are required. This typically equals between 140 and 280 hours. Students are typically responsible for finding their own internships, although faculty members oftentimes have suggestions or know of available opportunities. To obtain an internship, students must apply to the hospital or organization offering it and be accepted.

These internship experiences are under the supervision of an experienced nurse or nursing informaticist and focus on a certain area such as a hospital, nursing home, insurance company, consulting company or vendor. Students are responsible for writing goals and initiatives for their practicum, which are in turn approved by a faculty member or internship coordinator. Internship experiences are generally unpaid.