Nursing Informatics Career Overview
What is Nursing Informatics?
Nursing informatics is the use of healthcare data and digital technologies to improve patient and provider experiences. Nurse informaticists are the bridge between information technology and clinical practice, working with clinicians, data scientists, and information technology professionals. Nurses who specialize in nursing informatics work to improve electronic medical record keeping, implement data technology solutions, and ensure that both care and research efforts meet legal and regulatory standards.
Nurse informaticists may also be referred to as nursing informatics specialists, nursing informatics clinicians, or clinical nurse informatics specialists. Leadership positions include chief nursing informatics officer and manager of clinical informatics. Registered nurses with several years of bedside experience and master’s or doctoral degrees are often found in these positions.
What Does a Nurse Informaticist Do?
A nurse informaticist may be employed by a clinic, hospital, outpatient facility, or healthcare system. All nurse informaticists are focused on improving patient safety and increasing efficiency in systems used by healthcare providers. Some of the tasks involved in these goals can include:
- Training and updating staff members
- Promoting evidence-based practice
- Modifying computer-based workflows
- Analyzing patient charts to identify problems
- Developing solutions for areas that need improvement
- Collaborating to implement solutions
- Researching changes and innovations in healthcare
- Defining policies for patients and staff
- Designing and optimizing patient portals and electronic health record systems
Successful nurse informaticists are detail-oriented problem solvers with great communication and leadership skills. Nurse informaticists understand the importance of maximizing patient health while using resources efficiently. Often, they are the connection between nurses caring for patients and their directors of nursing. Nurse informaticists usually report to the director of their department and are also responsible for analyzing data and educating staff from multiple areas.
How Much Do Nurse Informaticists Make Per Year?
According to the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Nursing Informatics Workforce Survey, nearly half of nurse informaticists earn an annual salary of greater than $100,000. More than 10% of the 1,359 participants reported a salary of $151,000 or greater. Reported salaries did vary by over $100,000. This reflects the wide range of roles available for informaticists, including roles in upper management and hospital system leadership.
| Nurse Informaticits Salary Breakdown, 2020 |
| Salary |
Percentage |
| $151,000 or more |
11% |
| $131,000 to $150,000 |
7% |
| $116,000 to $130,000 |
12% |
| $101,000 to $115,000 |
19% |
| $86,000 to $100,000 |
21% |
| $61,000 to $85,000 |
23% |
| $46,000 to $60,000 |
4% |
| $45,000 or less |
3% |
Citation: HIMSS, HIMSS Nursing Informatics Workforce Survey, at https://www.himss.org/resources/himss-nursing-informatics-workforce-survey.
The HIMSS workforce survey also concluded that nurse informaticists with higher levels of education tended to have higher salaries. Of those reporting salaries of $151,000 or higher, 25% had a doctoral degree. Nurse informaticists with master’s degrees most often reported salaries between $86,000 and $115,000. And over 30% of nurse informaticists with bachelor’s degrees reported earning between $61,000 to $85,000 per year.
Where and When Do Nurse Informaticists Work?
The overwhelming majority of nurse informaticists work in hospitals or health systems. According to the HIMSS Workforce Summary, the second most common nurse informaticist employers were vendors and payers; however, these account for less than 10% of nurse informaticist positions. Vendors and payers in the healthcare industry can include companies that provide medical equipment or technology and insurance companies.
Nurse informaticists typically work business hours. Some nurse informaticists may be expected to work some evenings, weekends, holidays, or on-call shifts. Nurse informaticists in management or in direct patient care positions may be required to report to the hospital during emergency situations. The HIMSS Workforce Summary indicated that the majority of nurse informaticists are not providing patient care.
How Do I Become A Nurse Informaticist?
The first step to becoming a nurse informaticist is to complete a nursing degree and become certified as a registered nurse (RN). Associate’s and bachelor’s degrees are available to aspiring nurses, but the most competitive applicants usually have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Upon degree completion, which can take between two to four years, a graduate nurse will take the national NCLEX-RN computerized examination. Upon passing, the RN will then apply to the state board of nursing where they wish to work. This application includes a background check and fee.
Nurses wishing to pursue a career in informatics may be able to seek experiences immediately after starting work as an RN, such as joining a committee. Unit-specific and hospital-wide nursing committees routinely meet to give feedback and suggestions to the teams creating and modifying computer-based charting. Other committees meet to discuss data collection for quality control or research purposes. Employers of nurse informaticists usually require at least two years of bedside patient care experience and a demonstrated interest in informatics. Furthermore, many employers may seek candidates that have an advanced degree and credentialing in informatics.
Beyond a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, nurse informaticists can pursue a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Some MSN and DNP programs offer a specialty in informatics or informatics leadership. There is also a less common Master in Nursing Informatics degree option. An alternative option for nurse informaticists interested in leadership opportunities is a Master in Health Administration (MHA). According to the HIMSS report, 66% of nurse informaticists have a master’s degree.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) offers board certification to nurse informaticists who meet the following summarized requirements:
- Have an active RN license
- Completed a bachelor’s degree in nursing or a relevant field
- Practiced full-time for two years as an RN
- And one of the following:
- Practiced at least 2,000 hours in informatics nursing OR
- Practiced at least 1,000 hours in informatics nursing and have completed at least 12 hours of graduate-level nursing informatics program OR
- Completed a nurse informatics graduate program that included at least 200 practicum hours in informatics nursing
Eligible candidates must apply and pay a fee to the ANCC to take the 175 question computer-based exam. Nurse informaticists who have passed the exam have the title of RN-BC (board certified). Unlike advanced practice nurses, a nurse informaticist is not required to be board certified to practice. However, many seek board certification as a standardized way to demonstrate their level of skill and knowledge. Other informatics or information technology certifications are offered by non-nursing organizations, but they are significantly less common, according to the HIMSS report.
Nurse informaticists have ongoing education requirements throughout their careers. The number of hours required will vary by state board of nursing and by certification. Failure to complete these continuing education hours could result in a nurse informaticist being ineligible to practice.
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.
