Hey there! It's been a while! I wanted to jump back into things. I've attempted to add myself to several platforms and take in all the questions which are typically asked. This has to be the number one thing I see asked.

So, you've heard of informatics and you are intrigued. Now what?

First thing: what are you now, and what is your end goal? There is no one-size-fits-all and this is really true for all career advice. Are you looking to get out of bedside? Are you a nurse who likes technology? Have you heard of Informatics, think it's interesting, and want to find out how to get involved?

My first recommendation would be to look internally at your place of employment. Is there already an established Informatics department? Roles within the Informatics scope? If so, I would start at your local level.

The easiest place to start locally is the electronic health record (EHR) SuperUser program. If this does not exist, reach out to your leadership team and let them know of your interest in being on any workgroups which could involve improvements within the EHR. Additionally, if your organization has a shared governance structure, that can often be an excellent way to get involved. Look to see if that governance has an Informatics council or group and try to get a seat at the table.

So, you've looked internally and there's not much? If you really know you want to make the jump into Informatics, you may need to look outside of your organization. Not sure which roles to apply to? Look out for future information on this topic.

Ultimately, Nursing Informatics roles will rely on your clinical experience. You will need at least a couple of years of practical experience (my recommendation is a minimum of 3 years) in order to be highly marketable and effective in an Informatics role.

There are many more skills which will be translatable into the Informatics field. Computer and technology literacy are important. Transitioning to an office role from clinical can be challenging for some. Experience with email, presentation development, online calendars, and other productivity applications will be vitally important. You do not need to pick it all up instantly, just be open to learning and researching some techniques. If you find you do not have these skills now, I would highly encourage you to engage more at this level and look for self-guided learning opportunities.

While the technical skills are important, soft skills are really important too! Depending on the role, an Informatics Nurse Specialist can do anything from build the EHR behind the scenes to present in front of the C-Suite on a business case for a project. In any role, leadership abilities, emotional intelligence, and time, change, and conflict management are key. If you find you do not have these skills yet, I would highly encourage you to look at leadership opportunities. Not only will these prove to be incredibly valuable when attempting to acquire a new role, they will only help with your career development journey. Charge Nurse is a great start, along with shared governance and any project or workgroup opportunities!

More to come on graduate degrees and certification exam success!

Looking for some personalized career advice? Resume tune-up? Have more topic suggestions? I'm here for you! Use our contact page and I'd love to help you.