What Does it Take to Be an Informatics Nurse Specialist?

Position Description Apply knowledge of nursing and informatics to assist in the design, development, and ongoing modification of computerized health care systems. May educate staff and assist in problem solving to promote the implementation of the health care system.

Daily Life Of an Informatics Nurse Specialist

• Develop, implement or evaluate health information technology applications, tools, processes or structures to assist nurses with data management.
• Disseminate information about nursing informatics science and practice to the profession, other health care professions, nursing students, and the public.
• Identify, collect, record or analyze data that are relevant to the nursing care of patients.
• Apply knowledge of computer science, information science, nursing, and informatics theory to nursing practice, education, administration, or research, in collaboration with other health informatics specialists.
• Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in informatics.
• Develop or deliver training programs for health information technology, creating operating manuals as needed.

Informatics Nurse Specialist Skills

Below is a list of the skills most Informatics Nurse Specialists say are important on the job.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Other Informatics Nurse Specialist Job Titles

• Clinical Informatics Director
• Informatics Application Analyst
• Informaticist
• Informatics Resource Nurse
• Health Informatics Specialist

Job Outlook for Informatics Nurse Specialists

In the United States, there were 600,500 jobs for Computer Systems Analysts in 2016.

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 9.1% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 54,400 new jobs for Informatics Nurse Specialists by 2026. The BLS estimates 44,900 yearly job openings in this field per year.

The states with the most job growth for Computer Systems Analysts are California, Texas, and Washington.

Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Vermont, or Alaska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Average Informatics Nurse Specialist Salary

Computer Systems Analysts Make between $54,360 and $142,220 a year. The median salary is $88,740.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for jobs of this type in different U.S. states.

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
New Jersey	$107,540
District of Columbia	$106,790
New York	$106,320
California	$103,930
Virginia	$102,290
Rhode Island	$99,470
Texas	$97,900
Maryland	$97,720
Washington	$96,860
Delaware	$96,460
Colorado	$96,030
Pennsylvania	$95,990
Connecticut	$94,530
Massachusetts	$94,510
New Hampshire	$93,620
North Carolina	$93,480
Minnesota	$92,920
Georgia	$91,060
Oregon	$89,440
Ohio	$89,420
Illinois	$89,370
Arizona	$88,970
Florida	$85,050
Alabama	$84,950
Utah	$84,840
New Mexico	$84,660
Iowa	$84,300
Michigan	$83,900
Missouri	$83,720
Wisconsin	$82,480
Maine	$81,670
Nevada	$80,580
South Carolina	$80,200
Vermont	$80,190
Hawaii	$80,100
Oklahoma	$79,950
Indiana	$79,750
Idaho	$78,550
Kansas	$78,520
Tennessee	$77,330
Nebraska	$77,240
Wyoming	$77,200
Montana	$76,380
North Dakota	$76,110
South Dakota	$75,810
West Virginia	$74,010
Louisiana	$72,560
Arkansas	$71,990
Kentucky	$71,500
Alaska	$70,390
Mississippi	$66,790

What Tools do Informatics Nurse Specialists Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Informatics Nurse Specialists:

• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Outlook
• Epic Systems
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Project
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Salesforce software
• ESRI ArcGIS software
• Microsoft Access
• MEDITECH software

Where Informatics Nurse Specialists Work

Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Those thinking about becoming Informatics Nurse Specialists might also be interested in the following careers:

• Information Security Analysts
• Orthoptists
• Nurse Anesthetists

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons