An Overview Of The Certifying Agency
The American Nurses Credentialing Center is an American Nurses Association affiliate.
The organizations goal is to promote healthcare and nursing excellence worldwide.
They strive towards this goal by developing internationally recognized accreditations.
The ANCC certification programs are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies or the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification .
ANCC offers a wide range of Nurse Practitioners certifications and Clinical Nurse Specialist Certifications besides Nursing Informatics Certification.
Its certification exams for these credentialing programs are offered in domestic and international test centers.
Cahims Certification Exam Structure And Cost
The CAHIMS exam is conducted at the Pearson VUE test center.
Other times, candidates can take the exam during specific HIMSS events.
The process of taking the exam involves applying for the examination through the HIMSS student portal.
Once the application has been approved, one receives a receipt of authorization to test.
From there, the next step is to make a reservation for the examination.
CAHIMS candidates must produce two identification documents to take the exam, a government identification card, and the identification number issued by Pearson VUE in the exam confirmation notice.
The CAHIMS certification test consists of 115 questions.
Fifteen of these questions are pretests and, therefore, not scored.
The test takes 2 hours to complete and covers management and leadership, healthcare information and systems management, clinical informatics, and healthcare and technology environment.
The exam-takers are provided with an on-screen calculator.
As such, personal calculators are not allowed.
The exam results are displayed on the screen immediately after the candidate completes the test.
If one passes the exam, one can expect to get their certification within eight weeks.
In the unfortunate event that one fails, theres room to retake the exam as many times as possible.
The catch?
The candidate has to pay the full examination fee every time they retake the exam.
There is also a 90-days waiting period after a failed attempt.
So, how much is the CAHIMS examination fee?
Certified Associate In Healthcare Information And Management System
CAHIMS certification is offered by the Health Information Management Systems Society .
The organization offers CAHIMS and CPHIMS certifications.
CAHIMS certification is for Nurses in their early careers who want to transition to Nursing Informatics.
CPHIMS is an advanced certification designed for Nurse Informatics with years of experience in the Nursing Informatics industry.
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What Are The Benefits Of Being A Nurse Informaticist
Nurse informaticists have some of the highest salaries in nursing, along with some of the highest levels of education. Nurses who pursue a career in informatics have the opportunity to improve healthcare and information technology applications of entire hospitals or health systems. Nurse informaticists actively influence hospital leadership and healthcare policy to improve systems for patients and providers. As they review the data, nurse informaticists are able to see improved outcomes and workflows firsthand.
How To Become A Nurse Informaticist
The path to becoming a nurse informaticist involves education, examination, licensure, and certification.
Graduate With a Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Pass the NCLEX-RN Exam to Receive RN Licensure
Complete Required Nursing Experience
Apply for Your Nursing Informatics Certification
Advance Your Career With a Graduate Degree
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S To Become A Nursing Informatics Specialist
Successful nursing informatics specialists possess a broad skill set that exhibits a deep level of competency in both healthcare and technological roles. Because theyre registered nurses, they need to have strong critical-thinking skills, be detail-oriented, have the ability to communicate effectively, and exhibit compassion and emotional stability.
Information technology has become a strong component of the profession, so nursing informatics specialists must display extensive knowledge of technology and tech-derived information. They must be proficient in a broad range of IT systems, have sharp data analytical skills, and be competent in project management.
While developing technological proficiency is important to success as a nursing informatics specialist, its important to note that the role is still fundamentally a nursing position. The path to becoming a nursing informatics specialist starts with building a firm foundation of the nursing skills that produce excellent patient care. An online RN to BSN program can help aspiring nursing informatics specialists to develop and sharpen key nursing skills that can help them identify the healthcare benefits of medical technology.
How Long Is A Nursing Informatics Program
Average Nursing Informatics Program Length Most nursing informatics programs take about two years to complete. However, some can take as little as five semesters, while others can take up to three years. Your program length will likely be determined by the type of advanced degree you want to achieve.
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Qualities Of A Successful Informatics Nurse
Informatics nurses bridge the gap between clinicians needs and technologys capabilities. To be successful in this specialty, informatics nurses should have:
- Passion for using technology to improve patient care
- Strong understanding of clinical workflows
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills
- Ability to think critically and solve problems
- Ability to learn new technology quickly
- Ability to manage multiple competing priorities
Working As An Informatics Nurse
While completing the informatics nursing program, the best way for students to help them land their future position is through professional networking with nursesâ developing and maintaining a relationship with healthcare informatics experts.
Upon graduation, informatics nurses are provided with a wide range of opportunities and can work in various areas. Common settings include hospitals, physicians’ offices, community health centers, consulting firms, government, healthcare product solutions companies, international organizations, research facilities, and academic settings.
According to Payscale in April 2022, informatics nursing specialists earn an hourly wage of $35.11 or an average yearly salary of $79,790, which can increase to around $84,000 after 10-19 years of service.
Most informatics nursing positions are away from the bedside.
Common workplace settings:
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Job Outlook For Informatics Nurses
Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not report a job outlook report specifically for Informatics Nurses, they do project that employment of Health Information Technologists is projected to grow 9% from 2020 to 2030, which is much faster than the average for all occupations .
Much of this growth will result from increased demand for healthcare services and ever-advancing technology.
What Do Nurse Informaticists Actually Do
Through the usage of data, Informatics Nurses analyze trends, keep an eye out for potentially dangerous medical errors, and implement user-friendly, patient-centric innovations that help nurses be more efficient at their job. The field of informatics ensures that technology is a consistent part of the daily work of nurses, and in an increasingly digitized society, its imperative for healthcare to keep up with the times.
NIs are responsible for quality control and systems development. They are also in charge of conducting relevant training for the clinical staff when new technologies are introduced. Other common tasks that occur every day are management of different programs, analyzing clinical statistics, or writing policies.
According to the HIMSS survey conducted in 2020, the top job responsibilities for nursing informaticists are as follows:
44% of Nurse Informaticists see systems implementation as one of the top priorities in terms of job responsibilities. Tasks related to the utilization and optimization of these systems are also very high on the list of duties, with a little over 41% of nursing informatics specialists engaging in this task consistently.
Nurse Informaticists are also in charge of developing systems that can advance the quality of care, only around 34% of the professionals are working in this area.
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Informatics Nurse Job Outlook
While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not offer statistics for Informatics Nursing at this time, they have assessed overall growth for Registered Nurses throughout the next ten years. According to the BLS, employment of RNs is likely to rise 7 percent by 2029. This growth is due to the ever-increasing emphasis on preventive care in our nations healthcare system.
Pursue Your Bachelors Degree In Nursing
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program at Colorado Technical University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education . The goals of CTUs RN-to-BSN program are to teach students to care for the complex needs of patients across a variety of settings and help students prepare to become leaders in the profession of nursing. Learn more about CTUs bachelors degree in nursing.
1.”The Right Balance Technology and Patient Care.” Retrieved from: http://www.himss.org/right-balance-technology-and-patient-care .2.What is a Nurse Informatics Specialist? Retrieved from: http://www.himss.org/what-nurse-informatics-specialist .3.How to Become a Registered Nurse. Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm#tab-4 .4.”HIMSS 2017 Nursing Informatics Workforce Survey.” Retrieved from: http://www.himss.org/sites/himssorg/files/2017-nursing-informatics-workforce-executive-summary.pdf .5.”Informatics Nursing Certification Eligibility Criteria.” Retrieved from: http://www.nursecredentialing.org/informatics-eligibility.aspx .6.”Computer Systems Analysts.” Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/Computer-and-Information-Technology/Computer-systems-analysts.htm .7.Summary Report for: 15-1121.01 Informatics Nurse Specialists. Retrieved from: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/15-1121.01 .
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What Education Does A Nursing Informatics Educator Need
Typically, a nurse educator and informatics specialist will need a bachelors degree at the minimum. However, most positions require a masters degree, as well. You will likely need to begin your career path as a registered nurse with a BSN. This degree and your experience as a nurse will help you be prepared for working in the medical field at this level.
After obtaining your bachelors degree you will likely need an MSN or Master of Science in Nursing. An MSN with a focus on nursing informatics is an ideal fit to give you the advanced credentials you will need, as well as the focus on informatics that will be required to succeed in this role.
What Skills Are Important For Working In Nursing Informatics
Nursing informatics calls for a combination of clinical, technological, and collaborative abilities. Successful nursing informatics workers need interpersonal skills, such as conflict resolution, empathy, flexibility, and teamwork, along with problem-solving abilities, computer programming knowledge, and experience with health data systems.
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Complete A Masters Of Science In Nursing Informatics
A masters degree is typically required to work as a nurse informaticist. In many cases, these programs can be completed in as little as 18 months, and most programs are offered online to accommodate working nurses. The top programs will require students to complete practicums as well as capstone projects that demonstrate the competencies gained.
Where Can You Work As A Nurse Informaticist
Nursing Informaticists can find employment in a variety of settings, from hospitals and other healthcare facilities to consulting firms, universities, and corporations.
However, over two-thirds of the professionals employed in the fieldwork for a hospital or multi-facility health systems. Its also worth mentioning that more than half work at Magnet hospitals.
A significant percentage of Nurse Informaticists work for the government or military or in academic settings.
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What Are The Salary And Career Outlooks For Informatics Nurses
The career outlook for informatics nurses is excellent. The demand for qualified informatics nurses continues to grow as healthcare organizations increasingly adopt new technologies. Health informatics positions will see a 7% increase through 2028, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
The salary for informatics nurses varies depending on experience, education, and location. According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary for an RN with an informatics specialty is about $101,000 per year. Nurses with a masters degree and a certification in nursing informatics can earn even more.
Nursing Informatics Specialist Salaries
According to PayScale, the average salary for nursing informatics specialists is $85,700. PayScale derives this figure from a salary range that stretches from $64,900 to approximately $115,500.
Nursing informatics specialists with more experience or an advanced degree will likely receive a higher pay than those with less experience or just an undergraduate degree. The location of your practice may also factor into your salary. Those working in a city with a higher cost of living will likely earn more than someone practicing in a city with a lower cost of living.
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Pass The American Nurses Credentialing Center Certification Exam
This gives you the RN-BC Informatics Nurse Certification that may be required in some positions. Requirements for this certification include 1,000-2,000 hours of informatics nursing experience, 30 hours of continued education in informatics within the last three years, two years of full-time RN experience, and a bachelors degree.
Three Nursing Informatics Salary
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , the median salary for a registered nurse in 2021 is $77,600 per year or $37.31 per hour, but conditions in your area may vary. Unfortunately, the BLS does not differentiate between different nursing specialties.
Reported informatics nurse salaries vary widely across different platforms. Glassdoor.com reports an average median salary of $92,195 per year for informatics RNs. Payscale.com reports an average annual salary of $79,272 or $35.73/hr.
However, the HIMSS 2020 Nursing Informatics Workforce survey, found that 49% of respondents earn base salaries of more than $100,000 each year. This is up from 45% in 2017 and 33% in 2014.
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Pathways To Become An Informatics Nurse
There are different pathways to become an informatics nurse, depending on what level of education youve completed:
- Bachelors Degree in Nursing : A BSN is required for certification by the ANCC. BSN programs help prepare you to earn RN licensure, which may be required to practice in your state.
- RN to BSN: If you are an RN now and want to earn your BSN, there are RN-to-BSN bridge programs offered by universities for practicing nurses that may take less time than traditional programs.
- Masters Degree in Nursing : With a masters degree in nursing, you may apply to take the ANCC informatics certification exam as long as you have 200 hours of faculty-supervised practicum work. An MSN degree may also prepare you to become an advanced practice registered nurse in your state.
- RN to MSN: If youre an RN who wants to pursue a masters degree, you can earn your MSN through an RN-to-MSN bridge program in two to three years clinical hours may add to that total.
- Post-Masters Certificate: If you already have a masters degree in nursing but want to become more advanced in informatics, consider a nursing informatics certificate.
- Online Nursing Degrees: Many of these pathways can be completed online through reputable nursing schools. Online learning programs, such as an online MSN program, may be preferred for those who want to work while they study or who prefer a more self-paced program.
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Pursuing A Masters Degree
While a masters degree is not a requirement to enter the field, you should still experience them to hone your skills and expertise.
Course content may include data management, health information systems, health law, data management, and professional ethics.
A young African-American healthcare worker in the clinic
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What Skills Does An Informatics Nurse Gain Through Schooling
Informatic Nursing rests on an academic curriculum that leverages nursing education to better understand and analyze health data while implementing new technologies to improve nursing practices and procedures. You learn about data best practices and how technology can impact patient outcomes in school. A masters degree in nursing informatics will focus on the specific topics and issues encountered by informatics nurses. These include:
- Healthcare policy
- Workflow and systems
- Evaluating technological outcomes
Although many Informatics Nurses have developed their careers through on-the-job training, the ever-growing complexity of digital technology and information systems has increased the need for advanced degrees and certificates. Today, the path to becoming an Informatics Nurse can take up to ten years if you have no prior nursing degree.
Lets take a closer look at the necessary steps to becoming Informatics Nurse:
Duties Responsibilities Requirements Certifications Job Outlook And Salary
Although many people may not be familiar with their role and responsibilities, Informatics Nurses fill a vital role in the healthcare industry. Thanks to their service, a number of healthcare technologies have advanced quite rapidly, including computerized provider order entry , electronic medical records , test results, progress or nursing notes, medication records, and more.
Weve created this career guide to help you develop a better understanding of the Informatics Nurse profession. One of the most notable aspects of choosing this career is the potential to complete your duties from the comfort of your own home. In fact, this nursing specialty is featured among our list of the top work from home nursing jobs.
Continue reading to learn more about the requirements, responsibilities, training, salary, and job outlook of Informatics Nurses.
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Nurse Informaticist Program Accreditation
Students need to ensure that the nursing program they attend is accredited. Accreditation is a lengthy process that evaluates all aspects of a degree, including curriculum, faculty, facilities, student outcomes, and practicums or clinical experiences. Not only does accreditation assure employers and certification agencies that a student has completed a quality program, but it may also be required for hiring or licensure.
The top accrediting agencies for nursing programs are the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing . The CCNE only accredits bachelors degrees or higher, while ACEN will accredit programs at all levels.
Two What Does An Informatics Nurse Do
Though the exact job description of an Informatics Nurse will vary by workplace, the American Medical Informatics Association reported that the core responsibilities of a Nurse Informatics Specialist include the following:
Other responsibilities may include:
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