Nursing Informatics: Ushering In 21st Century Nursing Practice

President Obama's health care reform plan, which includes plans to convert medical information and records into electronic information systems, is creating a growing demand for nursing informatics professionals in health care organizations and in businesses that develop and sell health care information technology.
What is Nursing Informatics?
In 2008, the American Nurses Association (ANA) defined this growing field in its Scope and Standards for Nursing Informatics Practice as "a specialty that integrates nursing science, computer science, and information science to manage and communicate data, information, knowledge and wisdom in nursing practice."For example, a Nursing informatics Specialist might integrate data, information, and clinical knowledge in order to ensure better nurse staffing based upon patient acuity levels to enhance the quality of patient care and outcomes.
The Need for Nursing Informatics Professionals
In June, President Obama spoke at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates in Chicago. Obama described in detail his vision for health care reform.Digitizing medical records for all American citizens was one of the action items he explained.Obama stated, "It simply doesn't make sense that patients in the 21st century are still filling out forms with pens on papers that have to be stored away somewhere."
One of the primary goals of Informatics Nurses is to design and implement systems that improve documentation accuracy, eliminate unnecessary work, enhance accuracy and enable analysis of clinical data. "Informatics nurses and specialists have the potential to improve patient care, make the value of nursing visible, reduce the burden of paperwork, and improve communications within an interdisciplinary team[2]."
As expert practitioners, informatics nurses and specialists provide new tools that help clinicians to practice, educators to teach, students to learn, researchers to investigate, policymakers to deliberate, and consumers to manage their own health. In all these ways, Informatics Nurses and Specialists pursue a fundamental nursing goal,"to improve the health of populations, communities, families, and individuals by optimizing information management and communication[3]."
Learn how you can more effectively utilize information technology to enhance the quality of patient care. Most informatics nurses and informatics nurse specialists perform jobs that draw directly on their clinical backgrounds, as well as their organizational skills and informatics knowledge. Informatics nurses see technology as a tool to support their love of nursing as well as impact future nursing practices.Although Nursing Informatics is relatively new field specialization practices areas are already emerging which include:
- Clinical Informatics
- Consumer Health Informatics
- Educational Health Informatics
- Public Health Informatics
- Nursing Informatics Researcher
Whatever role nurses take in Nursing informatics, they stand to make significant contributions to patient outcomes and staff satisfaction.
Earn A Nursing Informatics Degree Online
Get the education you need to begin a career in Nursing Informaticswith confidence. Explore accredited onlineNursing Informatics Programs and request free no-obligation information directly from any of our featured schools:
Search Online Nursing Informatics Degree Programs
University of Phoenix
Campus
As the largest private university in North America, University of Phoenix has more than 200 locations, and is available online in most countries around the world. Whether you're seeking a college degree at an associate's, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral level, we can help you reach your academic goal—and sooner than you might think.
Programs:- BS in Nursing (RN Required)
- M.S. in Nursing
- Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing
- Salida
- Phoenix
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Keiser University
Campus
Keiser University eCampus Online offers degrees in fields that are in high demand and provides job placement assistance to all its students and alumni.
Programs:- Nursing, MS
- Medical Assisting, AS
- Fort Lauderdale
CollegeAmerica
Campus
Finally, a college that delivers. CollegeAmerica is truly unique in that their curriculum is designed for one purpose and one purpose only: to prepare students for success.
Programs:- Bachelor of Science Completion in Nursing (Online)
- Associate Degree in Nursing
- Bachelor of Science Completion in Nursing Administration (Online)
- Phoenix
- Cheyenne
- Colorado Springs
- Flagstaff
- Fort Collins
- Denver
Florida Career College
Campus
Train for the real-world skills that help you launch a successful technology or healthcare career with a degree, or diploma from Florida Career College.
Programs:- Associate's Degree - Nursing RN
- Diploma - Patient Care Technician
- Diploma - Medical Assistant Technician
- Boynton Beach
- Miami
- Pompano Beach
- Hollywood
- Clearwater
- West Palm Beach
Medtech
Campus
Start your career with an education from Medtech. We offer programs in biotechnology, health care management, medical assisting, medical billing and coding, medical lab technology, and nursing, plus several short-term career courses.
Programs:- School of Nursing
- Medical Assistant
- Fort Wayne
Sanford-Brown Institute
Campus
Get everything you need for the medical career you want. Sanford-Brown Institute's advanced programs allow you to complete your certificate or degree program in as little as 9 months. Learn more today.
Programs:- Nursing
- Medical Assistant
- Medical Assistant Specialist
- Melville
- Monroeville
- Orlando
- Austin
Kaplan College - KHE
Campus
Don't wait another day to take the next step forward in your career. Kaplan College can give you the real-world knowledge and skills you need to succeed in your chosen field.
Programs:- Associate of Science: Nursing
- Diploma: Practical Nursing
- Diploma: Patient Care Assistant/Technician
- Las Vegas
- Indianapolis
- Corpus Christi
- San Antonio
- Mcallen
- Lubbock
- Clovis
- Columbus
- Arlington
- Midland
- Bakersfield
- Fort Worth
- Stockton
- Beaumont
- Laredo
- Charlotte
- Phoenix
- Dayton
Stevens-Henager
Campus
For more than 119 years, Stevens-Henager College has worked to train generations of graduates for new careers. Stevens-Henager College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). Our degree programs, designed to help graduates compete in the ever-evolving employment market, include Medical Specialties, Respiratory Therapy, Healthcare Administration, Surgical Technology, Business Management and Accounting, Computer Technology and Networking, Computer Programming, Computer Science, and Graphic Arts*. Online programs are offered via Stevens-Henager College, Salt Lake City/Murray. Stevens-Henager College Idaho Falls is a branch campus of the CollegeAmerica, Flagstaff, AZ, main campus.
*Check each campus for program availability.
- Bachelor of Science Completion in Nursing
- Associate Degree in Nursing Education
- Master of Science in Nursing Administration
- Ogden
- Layton
- Boise
- Saint George
- Murray
- Orem
- Nampa
- Logan
- Idaho Falls
- Lehi
Keiser University Graduate School
Campus
Keiser University offers accredited degree programs in today's high-demand careers: Healthcare, Technology, Paralegal, Business, Nursing and Legal Studies.
Programs:- Nursing, MS (Online)
- Fort Lauderdale
Harrison College
Campus
Get started on your career with an education from Harrison College. We offer more than 30 degree, certificate, and diploma programs in the fields of health sciences, veterinary technology, information technology, criminal justice, and business, in addition to our culinary arts academy.
Programs:- Nursing - Associate of Science
- Medical Assistant
- Indianapolis
- Fort Wayne
- Elkhart
- Columbus
- Terre Haute
- Anderson
- Lafayette
- Muncie
- Grove City
- Evansville
Keiser University Campus
Campus
Keiser University offers accredited degree programs in today's high-demand careers: Healthcare, Technology, Paralegal, Business, Nursing and Legal Studies.
Programs:- Nursing, BS (Online Only)
- Nursing, AS
- Nursing, MS (Online Only)
- Jacksonville
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- Fort Lauderdale
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Lincoln Technical Institute
Campus
Lincoln Technical Institute provides career-focused, hands-on training programs with industry experienced instructors. Get the skills for a rewarding in-demand career.
For more student consumer information, please visit www.lincolnedu.com/lincolnconsumerinfo
Programs:- Nursing
- Medical Assistant
- Paramus
- Shelton
- Hamden
- Mount Laurel
- Edison
- Casselberry
- Lincoln
- Lowell
- Brockton
- Somerville
- Saint Petersburg
- Allentown
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University of Southern Nevada
Online
The USN accelerated online program offers accelerated nursing education that allows you to earn a BSN in just 14 months. This new program blends the personal convenience of online course study with enriching clinical learning in Henderson, Nevada.
Programs:- Accelerated BSN
Kaplan University
Campus
Advance your career and get the distinct competitive advantage you need with an online degree from Kaplan University. And do it without missing a day of work.
Programs:- MS in Nursing
- RN to MS in Nursing
- RN to BS in Nursing
- Fort Lauderdale
Marian University
Campus
At Marian University, our vision is to provide an education that profoundly transforms lives, society, and the world. Our mission is to be a Catholic university dedicated to excellent teaching and learning in the Franciscan and liberal arts traditions. We welcome students of all faiths who seek an educational experience framed within the context of our Franciscan values of dignity of the individual, peace and justice, reconciliation, and responsible stewardship.
Other schools may prepare you for a career. Marian University prepares you for life.
- Accelerated BSN
- Indianapolis
