APPLIED CLINICAL INFORMATICS FOR NURSES abilities to advanced skulls w/ medical devices and lifesaving

equipment.

Nurses are the largest group of healthcare providers in

 This course deals w/ the use of information the United States, w/ the statistics from the U.S. Department
technology system and data standards based on of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, indicating that there are
nursing principles and theories. more than 2.8 million nurses employed in the U.S. (2016).
 Further deals w/ the utilization of clinical
information systems in the management and Perhaps the most appropriate place to begin the
decision making of the patient care integration of technology & informatics in patient care is for
 A laboratory session shall be provided for practice the prelicensure nurse.
application
If this group of nurses enter the workforce w/ the skill
sets, clinical experience, and an expectation to integrate
health information technologies into practice, many of the
For whom is this text written? issues that confound healthcare organizations now may cease
The text is designed for nurses entering the healthcare field to exist.
who must be prepared to apply clinical informatics This is not an unusual phenomenon. Consider the
knowledge & skills to: example of universal precautions for blood & body fluids. The
o Increase quality & satisfaction in patients` use of universal precautions began in response to the HIV &
perception of care Hep. B outbreaks in the 1980s, causing great upheaval in the
o Enhance the health of populations healthcare practice.
o Reduce the cost of healthcare Millions of dollars were spent in re-educating healthcare
o Improve the work of life of healthcare providers providers, redesigning hospital rooms and units, and revising
nursing curricula to teach the foundational practice of the
universal precautions.
The chapters are written by a diverse group of
contributors’ w/ experience in both designing & using health The hurdles of adopting universal precautions have
informatics applications. The content is broad in scope, largely been surmounted. Today`s nursing graduates enter
beginning w/ an overview of basic concepts in informatics the workforce w/ the needed training & practice patterns
and proceeding to a discussion of application of the concepts that prevent transmission of communicable diseases.
in selected healthcare delivery settings. Likewise, as informatics knowledge & skills become more
Though advanced concepts are included in the text, they embedded in nursing education and in practice settings, the
are discussed in a manner that is highly readable for nursing more informatics will be accepted as an indispensable
students. The text includes multiple examples and case component of nursing practice and patient care.
studies that will aid students in immediately linking the Designed w/ the need for flexibility across curricula, the
content to the clinical environment. text is written primarily for the prelicensure or RN-BSN
The text begins by introducing concepts and issues student who has experience in the use of diverse hardware &
relevant to the field of clinical informatics. A review of the software applications and who is ready to apply those skills in
culture of health care and the use of health information the healthcare setting.
technology in the United States, w/ a summary of While the text could be used in a focused informatics
information science principles, sets the stage for a discussion course, it would also be pertinent for a nursing program that
st
of the nurses` role in the healthcare informatics in the 21 elects to teach designated informatics concepts at different
century. points throughout the program.
The reader is presented w/ strategies to obtain, evaluate,
and apply evidence for nursing practice w/ the use of
informatics tools. CHAPTER I: OVERVIEW OF INFORMATICS IN HEALTHCARE

Other chapter contain more isolated concepts w/c could

be use “as needed” in multiple areas of the nursing curricula.
Key Terms:
A brief description of more advanced concepts will be o Clinical informatics
stimulate the interest of the reader, serving as a way to o Communication technologies
initiate discussion and the interaction between students on o Date
the enormous possibilities for the use of healthcare o Fragmentation
technologies, now and in the future. o Information
o Information systems
o Knowledge
o Nursing informatics
Why is this text important for the Student Nurse? o Wisdom
o Healthcare providers
The text stems from the need for improvements in
nurses` skill sets in using health information technology.
Nursing is an increasingly high-tech field, requiring a wide
variety of competencies that range from basic computer CHAPTER OVERVIEW
 The purpose of this chapter is to provide an RXNT`s cloud-based technology lets users access
overview of health information technology (IT) used in each system 24/7 from any computer, smartphone, and
contemporary nursing practice & briefly described the history mobile device. Users are supported by a U.S. based team,
of clinical informatics using the culture of healthcare in the available by phone, email, & online chat. Each system offers
U.S. as a framework. customized templates and fit practices of any size or
specialty.
Clinical Informatics can provide solution to existing
problem in the U.S. Healthcare system including The RXNT EHR (including EPCS-certified e-
fragmentation, access to care, and care of the special prescribing) gives users real-time access to patient health and
populations. Nurses who understand clinical informatics will prescription history. Users can view and create a patient
likely improve delivery & patient safety. chart, as well as request and review lab tests w/c are
automatically uploaded to patient charts.

The PM system directly integrates w/ the EHR for

Informatics in Nursing Practice
seamless transition from encounter to reimbursement. The
st
The role of the 21 century nurse is complex, scheduling tool lets users manage appointments and
requiring interaction w/ multiple medical devices and health resources, including patient reminders and recurring
IT. appointments.

Nurses at all levels of educational preparation &

educational preparation and in all healthcare settings use
18. revolutionEHR
technology every day in practice.
RevolutionEHR is a cloud-based electronic health
In addition to becoming expert users, it is
record (EHR) solution built specifically for optometry
increasingly likely that nurses, because of their rich
practices. RevolutionEHR includes complete EHR, medical
experience in patient care, will be called on to participate in
billing, patient scheduling, medical accounting, and a picture
the design of new clinical systems for delivering high-quality
archiving system.
and efficient care.
RevolutionEHR also offers a personal health record
for patients, allowing them access to appointments, billing,
TOP 20 MOST USED MEDICAL SOFTWARE prescriptions, and other important information.

RevolutionEHR is 2014 ONC-ATCB certified (Office of

the National Coordinator-Authorized Testing and Certification
20. patientNOW Body) and comes w/ a built-in FDA medication database. The
practice management feature helps practices to manage
patientNOW is a hybrid integrated Practice
scheduling, billing, and accounting.
Management (PM) and Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
solution for aesthetic medical practices like plastic surgery, The solution can also be used to handle claims
medical spas and cosmetic dermatology. The solution can be submissions, store medical records, and manage documents,
deployed either in cloud or on-premise. It is also compatible among others. A personal health record portal for patients
w/ various windows enabled tablet computers. enables them to track appointments, build medication
history, make payments, receive appointment reminders, and
Helps practices automate workflows, manage
send text messages to their doctors.
interactions w/ patients that helps them to retain their
existing patients and capture new ones. Offers services on a RevolutionEHR is primarily suitable for small and
subscription-based pricing model support via phone, email midsize practices, corporate affiliates, multi-location
and through online FAQs. practices, and specialty groups. Pricing is modeled w/ a one-
time setup fee followed by a monthly subscription fee for
The EMR solution features e-prescribing lab
each registered user.
integration, narrative reports and procedure workflows. In
addition, patientNOW offers a suite of PM applications
including medical billing, patient scheduling, accounting, and
a picture archiving system. 17. Modernizing Medicine

The patient portal allows practitioners the ability to Modernizing Medicine offers a specialty-specific EHR
directly interface w/ patients that helps in delivering system and healthcare IT suite that includes practice
automated follow-up messages and appointment reminders. management, analytics, revenue cycle management, MIPS
reporting, image management, patient kiosk, patient portal,
patient reminders, and patient surveys.
19. RXNT The suite solutions is available for dermatology,
ophthalmology, orthopedics, otolaryngology, urology, plastic
Founded in 1999, RXNT offers a full suite of practice-
surgery and pain medicine practices. Telehealth and
based healthcare technology solutions: Electronic Health
pathology are available for dermatology practices.
Records (EHR) and Practice Management (PM). Each cost-
effective product is available as a stand-alone system or an A native iPad application includes built-in specialty-
integrated practice-based package. The RXNT EHR and PM th
specific knowledge, an ICD-10 solution – ICD-10 is the 10
were developed in tandem on the same platform and have revision of the International Statistical Classification of
complete interoperability – no interface needed. Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD), a medical
classification list by the World Health Organization (WHO)
and a MIPS intelligence platform.
14. practice fusion
Some benefits include time saving, automated billing Founded in 2005, Practice Fusions offers a cloud-based
and coding, cloud-based functionality, no templates or macro EHR that includes a suite of integrated features like charting, e-
restrictions, data-driven productivity, and enhanced patient prescribing, patient scheduling, lab and imaging integration and
engagement. more. Additionally, practices can qualify for CMS incentives, as
Practice Fusion is fully certified.
Built by practicing physicians, Modernizing Medicine
collects structured data and is prepared for value-based care Since the solution is cloud-based, users can access the
under MACRA (Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization system on their iPad EMR interface, w/c was developed to be
touchscreen optimized, allows users full access to appointments,
Act).
records and charting during the patient encounter.
The system`s adaptive learning engine can
Practice Fusion provides templates that can be customized
remember a provider`s specific preferences and physicians to match the workflow of a practice, and it is designed to support a
can actively select commonly used diagnoses, prescriptions variety of specialties such as cardiology, dermatology, physical
and consent forms. Utilizing the Interactive Anatomical Atlas therapy, mental health, internal medicine and many more.
and Virtual Exam Room, physicians can tap and touch their
Practice Fusion`s account managers & support specialists
way through an exam while facing their patients.
are available by live chat, phone or email, and there`s a learning
center and help forums for users seeking independent learning.

16. WebPT
13. eclipse
WebPT is a cloud-based multi-product platform for
outpatient physical occupational and speech therapy clinics. In 1985, a chiropractor and software developer teamed up
At its core, WebPT is an electronic medical records (EMR) to create ECLIPSE, an ONC certified Complete EHR now used by
system that enables therapists to produce and store patient thousands of providers nationwide. Designed for single
documentation as well as transmit medical records via fax. practitioners, ECLIPSE is rountinely used by multidisciplinary and
multi-site practices w/ hundreds of users.
In addition to documentation, the EMR, w/c
The concept of case management under a single ID# and
maintains a 99.99% uptime rate, includes practice insight
developed the first healthcare software to run natively on the
reporting, customizable evaluation templates and compliance
Microsoft Windows platform.
safeguards.
Recent additions range from custom forms creation &
WebPT customers can also add patient scheduling, synching the scheduler w/ smartphones to “Real Time Data Flow”
automated appointment reminders, file storage, outcomes w/c instatnly displays changes to every user currently working w/
tracking and a home exercise program within the core that patients charts.
product. The WebPT EMR also integrates w/ a variety of
ECLIPSE is INGENIX certified for HIPPA mandated
electronic health record (EHR) platforms.
electronic claims. Billing, scheduling, alerts, reminders, EHR and
Additionally, WebPT offers practice management document management are few features available w/ the solution.
solutions, like patient engagement and relationship Users can display multiple patient files simultaneously w/o
management tools, an online continuing education portal, having to retrace their steps or undo previous activity, w/c improves
revenue cycle management services and multiple billing workflow & reduces clicking.
integrations. The company launched in 2008, and it`s
headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

12. chirotouch
15. MDConnect
ChiroTouch is an electronic health records (EHR) and
MDConnect is a web-based solution for medical practice practice management system designed specifically for small to
management. The system serves the needs of small practices midsize chiropractic practices. It combines electronic health records,
consisting of just one physician or a small group of physicians. The billing, patient scheduling, outcomes assessments and inventory
core functions include scheduling, medical billing, code scrubbing, management in a single, integrated suite.
patient management and reporting.
The EHR has custom tmeplates for chiropractors,
MDConnect solution can be customized to support along w/ image managment, dynamic SOAP notes & real-time
different users and preferences. MDConnect also integrates w/ patient flow w/ room management capabilities. The EHR provides
PatientConnection for online patient registration, insurance lab integration and wireless supprt, and it can be used on a PC or on
verification, and other helpful processes for patients. an iPad through the CTProvider iPad app.
Can also be used to create detailed reports that keep ChiroTouch`s billing applicaition features eligibility inquiry,
medical finances in order. These sensitive financial data, along w/ claim scrubbing, automated batch posting, DME billing, workers`
patient records & other data types are kept secure w/ frequent off- compensation billing & other capabilities.
site backups that ensure both data integrity and protection.
The scheduling application has appointment reminders,
Available in 3 different series: Scheduler, Elite, and Billing. room scheduling, patient messaging and a patient portal. The entire
MDConnection offers customer support through email, web system is HIPPA compliant. Chiropractors can send text & email
conference and phone. Users can also go through training videos reminders to patients, while patients can use the system to fill out
and documentations available on the website to get familiar w/ the intake and outcomes their office visit.
features of the solution.
 AllegianceMD is priced on a monthly subscription fee, w/c
is based on the functionality used & the number of users on the
11. PracticeEHR system. The system runs on mac OS in addition to windows system
Practice EHR, a medical practice management software, and is ONC-ATCB certified.
was developed to accommodate the needs of small to mid-size
businesses. The platform is customizable to internal medicine
practices, chiropractors, physical therapists, family medicine, 8. Greeenway
podiatrists, psychiatrists, & various other specialties.
Greenway`s electronic health record (EHR) and practice
Core features of Practice EHR include electronic medical management platform Intergy offers a user-friendly, specialty-
records, medical billing, patient scheduling, and medical billing focused solution for ambulatory healthcare practices. It provides
services. These applications are available as part of one integrated tools to manage chronic conditions, capture payer incentives, and
suite. Electronic medical records are offered as a stand alone feature thrive in the world of value-based healthcare.
for practices that need a simplified solution.
As a trusted adviser, Greenway fuel customers` succes by
Users can also have access to e-prescribing, lab delivering the innovative technology, quality services, and strategic
integration, procedure workflows, narrative reports, tablet PC partnership that help them grow profitably, remain compliant, work
support, patient portals and ONC-ATCB certification. more efficiently, and improve patient outcomes.

Eligibility inquiry, claim scrubbing, and workers` Intergy is available as a hosted or on-premise EHR and
compensation claims are offered for practices that choose to utilize practice management system. Suitable for practices w/ multiple
the medical billing application. Practice EHR is an entirely cloud- locations, Intergy caters to the needs of specialties such as primary
based solution. It is accessible via mobile devices and remote care, internal medicine, multi-specialty, OB-GYN, cardiology,
desktops. pediatrics, and more.

Intergy is also well-suited for independent practice

associations (IPAs), accountable care organizations (ACOs), advanced
10. ChartLogic surgical centers, and tribal health facilities.
ChartLogic offers an ambulatory EHR suite that includes The Intergy Hosted bundle, a flat-rate per-provider per-
electronic mendical record, practice managemnt, revenue cycle month subscription, includes EHR/PM, provider-to-provider direct
management, e-prescribing and patient portal. The solution caters messaging, mobile, clearinghouse, analytics, patient protal and
to primary care, surgical care and other complex areas of medicine. patient messaging, on-site go-live, and access to Greenway`s
ChartLogic EMR (electronic medical record) is designed to extensive Knowledge Center.
undersatnd user workflow, specialty and personal preferences. The
solution offers electronic charting capabilities that allow medical
practitioners to view patient notes, medical history, referral letters 7. compulink
and diagnosis codes on a single screen.
Compulink Healthcare Solutions is an integrated hybrid
ChartLogic PM (practice management) helps in managing medical solution that provides medical service providers
the administrative activities w/c include registration & scheduling, functionalities such as electronic health records (EHR), practice
eligibility and verification, claims, billings and collections, user management, revenue cycle management, inventory management,
dashboards and reports. The module also integrates w/ ChartLogic optical POS and practice automation, w/c help them to manage
EMR. patient care and practices` profits.

ChartLogic RCM (revenue cycle management) enables The solution can either be deployed on-premise or hosted
users to optimize financial performance. The solution manages the in the cloud. Compulink Healthcare Solutions can be tailored to suit
payer mix, case volumes & denials and disputes on a regular basis. various specialties such as chiroopractic, dermatology, eye care,
ChartLogic also takes care of the claims continuum and provides rheumatology, gastroenterology, ophthalmology, othopedic,
practice staff access to detailed financial data. urology, podiatry and otolaryngology.

The solution features lab integration, patient scheduling

capabilities, electonic billing, patient registration, reporting and a
9. Allegiance MD HIPPA-compliant patient portal. Compulink Healthcare Solution`s
AllegianceMD is a cloud-based medical software system billing module offers features such as eligibility inquiries, credit card
that is desgined to serve the needs of small & midsize practices, as processing, inventory control and more.
well as ambulatory surgery centers. The solutions includes practice The practice automation application features electronic
management functionality for billing and scheduling and an pharmacy connection, electronic renewal processing and
electronic medical record. multilingual patient hand-outs. Services are offred on a monthly
More specific capabilities include e-prescribing, claims subscription basis. Individual modules for on-premise deployment
management, and a reporting system. AllegianceMD allows patients can also be bought for a one-time fee. Support is available via
to fill their history and demographics online as per the clinic`s phone, email and other online resources.
predetermined parameters.

Medication features include medication list 6. PROGNOCIS

(active/inactive), e-refill request, allergy list, drug-drug interation,
and drug-allergy interaction. Laboratory maintains test history and PrognoCIS is a cloud-based ICD-10 compliant and MU
permits tracking of abnormal lab follw-up. certified EMR solution w/c helps medical facilities and practitioners
to manage patient medical record. The software comprises of
E-prescription system enables the users to check the integrated modules for EHR, Practice Management, Patient Portal
patient`s allergies and current medication against the proposed and Revenue Cycle Management.
prescription, assuring that no prescription w/ possible side effects or
consequences is filled. PrognoCIS EHR offers customizable EHR workflow and content for
clinics and hospitals. Doctors and hospital staff can quickly generate
an electonic prescription for their patients and share w/ them and 3. kareo
their pharmacy store.
Kareo is a web-based medical billing and practice
The built-in e-signature feature allows both medical management solution used by medical practitioners and physician
professionals and patients to electronically sign medical bills and across the United States. The system suits small practices and billing
other documents within EMR or patient portal. A dedicated patient companies.
portal allows doctors to communicate w/ their patients securely,
share lab results, set appoitments and more. Kareo help practices manage the complications involved in
insurance billing. Medical staff can enter patient data and verify
PrognoCIS helps to quickly identify and confirm patient their insurance claims immediately. Kareo also provides a schedule
insurance benefit eligibility. Clinics can also reconcile patient and appointment reminder that helps practitioneres schedule
accounting and insurance billing. Using PrognoCIS, medical appointments w/ their patients and send appointment reminders to
practitioners can document patient data through multiple data entry reduce no-shows.
methods.
The built-in messaging feature allows practices to
PrognoCIS works w/ a variety of devices, including laptops, communicate w/ their billeres, patients and employees. Other
desktops, tablets and smartphones using any standard web- feature include billing analytics, advanced claim processing,
browser. Doctors can also access patients` record on their iPhones document management and agenda planner.
via PrognoCIS iOS app.
Kareo is ICD-10 compliant medical solution used across a
wide variety of medical specialties, including mental health, family
medicine, pediatrics, cardiology and more.
5. athenahealth

athenahealth is providing cloud-based services for

electornic health records (EHR), revenue cycle management & 2. dr chrono
medical billing, patient engagement, care coordination, and
population health management, as well as Epocrates and other DrChrono`s iPad and iPhone compatible EHR and medical
point-of-care mobile apps. billing platform allows users to manage patient intake, clinical
charting, billing, and revenue cycle management. It includes
The athenhealth EHR offers a homepage that allows users customizable medical forms, e-prescribing, scheduling tools, real-
to review the daily schedule and patient information, manage time patient eligibility checks, and a patient portal.
orders, and view incoming lab results. The billing module can be
used in tandem w/ the EHR or on its own, and features a patented The DrChrono App Directory also offers a multitude of
and continuously updated rules engine. apps and medical API for healthcare app developers. The DrChrono
EHR offers fully customizable forms or prebuilt forms. Any
Medical practice management tools incldue visibility into prescription including Electronic Prescribing Controlled Substances,
daily resposinilities, custom benchmarking, proactive trends can be sent electronically on iPhone, iPad, or the internet.
analysis, and more. Patients can utilize a patient portal to review
history, pay bills, sign forms, and schedule appointments. Reminders Lab orders can be submitted electronically to over 40,000
can be delivered via phone, email, or text message; patients can labs around the United States; results can then be directly uploaded
even be alerted when test results are waiting in the patient portal. into the patient`s chart. Custom vitals give providers the ability to
create baseline health date and monitor each patient`s health
measurements over time.

4. nextgen Providers can use Free Draw function to annotate on

diagrams, x-rays or other files; they can also use the iPad`s built-in
NextGen Healthcare offers NextGen Office - a cloud-based cameras to take pictures and embed them in the patient`s record.
EHR – specifically designed for private practices. NextGen Office is a The system comes pre-populated w/ billing codes and is integrated
fully integrated practice management solution that includes w/ Box, a HIPPA compliant cloud storage system.
specialty-specific content, a claims clearinghouse, and an easy-to-
use patient portal.

It works on any tablet, laptop (Apple or Windows), is touch 1. AdvancedMD

screen enabled, compatiable w/ all browsers, and is HIPAA
compliant. AdvanceMD is an integrated medical software suite for
independent practices. Features include practice management,
NextGen Office grew from a company was founded in electronic health records, patient engagement, telemedicine,
1998 by two doctors w/ one goal – to make medical offices run more rooming, reputation management, electronic health records,
efficiently. Company founders designed a solution to accommodate financial analytics and business intellegience reporting that all work
physician and staff workflow w/ easy-to-use, affordable technology together to automate practice workflow.
that adapts to the provider`s workflow and is accessible from
anywhere. Mobile users can work on the iPhone & iPad. The cloud
platform enables anywhere access and the highest levels of data
Now more than 124,000 providers across the United security available. AdvancedMD is browser agnostic for Mac and
States use solutions provided by NextGen Healthcare. With NextGen Windows operating systems and runs on nearly any device.
Office, providers can touch, talk or type encounter notes directly
into the clinical documentation. Integrated workflow automates the patient journey,
starting w/ self-scheduling onsite or telemedicine appointments.
NextGen Office includes MIPS reporting/dashboards, Appointment reminders can be sent to patients via text or email.
automates insurance eligibility, empowers patients to schedule Insurance eligibility verification for next-day patients runs
appointments, request refills, and schdeule telehealth visits, and automatically and alerts staff of potential issues.
connects the care team through direct messaging and referral
exchange. Consent forms are sent through a patient portal and
collected into the patient chart. Rooming helps manage patient flow.
Charting and prescriptions can be done from anywhere. Charge
capture occurs during the charting process without billing staff
needing to copy or paste.
 The contribution of nurse informaticists in developing &
improving technology such as electronic medical records and
NURSING INFORMATICS computerized provider ordering has been crucial in reducing medical
Nursing informatics is a field of nursing that incorprates nursing, errors, patient care delays, and health care costs.
computer and information sciences to maintain and develop medical For example, before CPOE (computerized physician order
data and systems to support the practice of nursing, and to improve entry), is a proccess of electronic entry of medical practitioner
patient care outcomes. instructions of the treatment of patients (particularly hospitalized
Technologies that have evolved due to health care/nursing patients) under his/her care.
informatics includes: Nurses would need to transcribe provider orders by hand.
 Computerized provider order entry (CPOE) Hard-to-read handwriting and human error caused transcription
 Electronic medical records (EMRs) inaccuracies, w/c in turn led to medication errors, delays and
o Test results omissions.
o Progress notes Today, software exists where providers simply click a
o Nursing notes button and the right medication, dose, and frequency is selected.
o Medication records Additionally, some programs cross-check orders against the
There are 3 “building blocks” of nursing communications patient`s allergies and/or duplicate orders to further protect patient
safety.\
 DATA
 INFORMATION
 KNOWLEDGE Nurse Informaticist Responsibilities & Duties
Data includes direct observations that do not need interpretation,  Play a critical role in not only developing health care
such as: technology
 Patient`s name  Educating staff and evaluating the results of
 Age implementation
 Vital signs  Assessing & analyzing health care technology needs
 Disease history  Designing systems technology
 Testing systems technology
 Implementing the technology w/c also includes:
- Staff training
Information is data that has been interpreted. Examples include: - Troubleshooting
 Prevelence of hospital-acquired infections, by care unit - Escalating issues as needed
 Assisting in the transition from one system`s technology to
another
 Evaluating the success of implementation; revising as
Knowledge is the amalgam of information to identify relationships needed
that provide further observation to an issue. For example:  Serving as project managers
 Assisting in ensuring organizations meet federal health
 The effect of nurse-patient ratios and patient outcomes
care laws such as HIPPA
 Developing care protocols (i.e. anaphylactic reaction
 Serving as a liasion between staff & information
protocols, pressure ulcer protocols, etc.)
 Assessing user requirements & developing solutions
 Serving as an educator to staff and new nurses
 Developing organizational policies & standards
While nurses incorporate all 3 communication “builiding  Researching different informatics topics that affect health
blocks” in their daily routines, the 3 concepts are also stored in care providers as well as patients
computer programs and software to assist health care providers
across the continuum to provide high-quality, safe patient care. Career & Outlook

Nurse informatics work to develop communication & The expanding presence of computers & technology in
information technologies in health care. They also serve as health care has led to more crossover career opportunities-including
educators, researchers, software engineers, and chide nursing nurse informatics. By combing technology and nursing, this specialty
officers. utilizes the skills needed to improve health care efficiency &
enhance patient saftey.
Using the “building blocks” listed above, they help develop
evidence-based policies & procedures for organizations. Workin Conditions

Nurse informaticists work in many different areas such as:

Why Nurses need informatics  Hospitals

 Clinics
Nurses need information to care for patients safely. They  Long-term care facilities
need to be able to access medical histories, medication lists, lab &  Nursing schools
imaging results, and physician/interdisciplinary team notes to get a  Health care consulting firms
complete picture of a patient`s clinical status. They use their  IT companies
information to make decisions efficiently to improve patient care
outcomes. They are vital in assisting members of the health care team
to integrate new information technology applications into daily
Nurse informatics, as well as other health care work flows. This takes skill and patience as not everyone is
informaticists (pharmacists, physicians,etc.), play a critical role in accepting to change, especially in technology.
continuous development & improvement of health care technology.
Communication is inarguably one of the most important aspects of Since health care technology is rapidly evolving science,
patient safety. many health care practitioners still cling to “old school”
methods and struggle w/ navigating computer systems.
 However, nurse informaticists are skilled in various approaches
to education and can provide ongoing support to the most
challenging and resistant learners.

Salary & Employment

According to PayScale, informatics nurses can earn between

$56,372 and $97,367 annually w/ a median salary of $79,939. Salary
can depend on additional degrees or cerificates held, city and state
of employment, experience, and the organization.

Nursing, in general, is a field that is growing substantially.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 16% growth until 2024.
Growth is primarily due to demand for health care services – an
aging population, a significantly of nurses retiring, and recent health
care legislation creates a higher demand to ensure patient care
needs are met.

Additionaly, the top-paying states for RNs are:

 California
 Massachusetts
 Hawaii
 Orgeon
 Alaska

While the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not track data specifically
for nurse informaticists, it does project a 21% growth of computer
systems analysts as a whole. If there is technology, then there is the
opportunity - especially in today`s health care arena.