Nursing Informatics Educator Career Guide
How to Become a Nursing Informatics Educator
Nursing informatics educators are essential to the nursing, medical, and clinical fields, combining a love of medicine, educating others, and technology to empower caregivers. They educate other nurses, medical providers, and healthcare workers on how to use clinical information systems and work towards improving these systems to improve patient outcomes. Many places, such as hospitals, behavioral health offices, and family practices, hire nursing informatics educators, to name a few.
The role of a nursing informatics educator is a fast-paced one. Medical programs are constantly evolving and new ones are being developed. Those in nursing and clinical informatics need to stay on top of the latest in informatics systems to discern the best patient-oriented solutions for their own organization’s goals.
What Is a Nursing Informatics Educator?
A nursing informatics educator, also known as a clinical informatics educator, teaches providers and other healthcare workers how to use clinical information systems.
There are different levels to the position of a nursing informatics educator. The type of job you're eligible for will depend on your education and experience. For example, an entry-level job would largely involve educating staff on charting processes as well as analyzing and reporting on those processes. You would likely be educating new hires during orientation as well as educating the entire organization any time there is a new clinical informatics system or a need for a refresher.
In a higher-level position, a nursing informatics educator would be involved in designing and developing those education programs to be taught by entry-level educators.
What Does a Nursing Informatics Educator Do?
Typically, the need for an educator comes with new hires or a new informatics system. But the role of a nursing informatics educator extends beyond that. These are just a few of the day-to-day duties that you’ll be tasked with as a nursing informatics educator:
- Educate new hires on the clinical informatics systems and programs used by your organization.
- Educate staff on new clinical informatics systems implemented by your organization.
- Facilitate ongoing education initiatives within the organization.
- Work with IT to troubleshoot issues with clinical informatics systems.
- Analyze data to understand how effective the current systems are.
- Work with other departments to improve systems, processes, and programs.
- Promote best practices through direct education as well as supplemental resources.
What Education Does a Nursing Informatics Educator Need?
Typically, a nurse educator and informatics specialist will need a bachelor’s degree at the minimum. However, most positions require a master’s 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 bachelor’s 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 Degrees are Best for a Nursing Informatics Educator?
Nursing – Nursing Informatics (RN–to–MSN) – M.S.
A nursing program that empowers data-driven nurses to go from RN...
A nursing program that empowers data-driven...
A nursing program that empowers data-driven nurses to go from RN to MSN, earning their BSN along the way:
- Time: 90% of RN-to-MSN grads finish within 36 months.
- Tuition: $4,685 per 6-month term during undergraduate portion; $4,795 per 6-month term during graduate portion.
Some careers and jobs this degree will prepare you for:
- Chief Nursing Informatics Officer
- Informatics Director
- Nursing Informatics Specialist
- Informatics Analyst
The trajectory of data and informatics in healthcare will continually open opportunities for registered nurses who take this path.
College of Health Professions
Nursing – Nursing Informatics (BSN-to-MSN) – M.S.
A nursing degree program that empowers data-driven nurses who...
A nursing degree program that empowers...
A nursing degree program that empowers data-driven nurses who already have a BSN but seek the success only a master's can bring:
- Time: 72% of grads finish within 18 months.
- Tuition: $4,795 per 6-month term.
Some careers and jobs this degree will prepare you for:
- Chief Nursing Informatics Officer
- Informatics Director
- Nursing Informatics Specialist
- Informatics Analyst
The trajectory of data and informatics in healthcare will continually open opportunities for nurses who take this path.
College of Health Professions
Our Online University Degree Programs Start on the First of Every Month, All Year Long
No need to wait for spring or fall semester. It's back-to-school time at WGU year-round. Get started by talking to an Enrollment Counselor today, and you'll be on your way to realizing your dream of a bachelor's or master's degree—sooner than you might think!
What Skills Does a Nursing Informatics Educator Need?
The skills that a nurse educator and informatics specialist needs to have are pretty consistent across the board, no matter where they'll end up working. Aside from their education, they’ll also need to have these skills:
- Communication. This is the most important because, as an educator, you will be educating various departments on your organization’s systems, processes, and programs.
- Computer skills. You’ll be working with a variety of different software and technology, so it’s important to have intermediate to advanced computer skills.
- Critical thinking. Because there is a level of analysis that comes with this position, having critical thinking skills can help you navigate conflicting problems.
- Knowledge of health data systems. You should be well-versed in the health data systems of your employer and ready to troubleshoot unexpected issues.
How Much Does a Nursing Informatics Educator Make?
$65,000
The average salary for a nursing informatics educator ranges from approximately $65,000 per year to over $100,000 per year.
Your salary will be dependent on geographical location, education, and experience level, as well as the certifications you may or may not have. For example, working in a big city will most likely provide a higher salary than working in the same position in a rural area. Additionally, your salary will likely increase as you gain more years of experience.
What Is the Projected Job Growth?
7%
The job outlook for a nursing informatics educator is very good. This job market is expected to increase by 7% between now and 2029. With the need for more nurses and healthcare providers comes the need for more nursing informatics educators to teach and guide those healthcare providers to produce the best possible patient outcomes.
Additionally, as new technology is created for the healthcare industry, the need for informatics educators will increase as well.
Where Do Nursing Informatics Educators Work?
Varies
There are many types of organizations that a nursing informatics educator can work in:
-Hospitals
-Specialty Medical Institutions
-Medical Offices
-Behavioral Health Specialists
-Clinical Consultants