What Can You Do with a Nursing Informatics Degree?

A nursing informatics degree combines nursing, information science, and healthcare technology. With this education, you'll understand the intricacies of healthcare technology, including electronic medical records (EMRs), making you an invaluable asset to any healthcare system.

Learn exactly what you can do with a nursing informatics degree. Read on to discover degree options, applicable careers, salary potential, and much more.

What is a Nursing Informatics Degree?

The American Nurses Association states that nursing informatics integrates nursing, computer, and information sciences to manage and communicate data, information,  knowledge, and wisdom in nursing practice.

A nursing informatics degree prepares nurses to manage and analyze health data, implement electronic health records (EHRs), and optimize clinical workflows. It combines courses in healthcare, data management, and information systems to equip graduates with the skills to enhance patient care through technology and data-driven decision-making.

Types of Nursing Informatics Degrees

You can select from two main types of advanced degrees in nursing informatics:

Nursing Informatics Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is a graduate nursing degree. Students who earn an MSN degree in nursing informatics learn about different aspects of healthcare technology. 

Coursework

In an MSN program, you'll learn how our healthcare system stores and manages crucial information and communications. These programs also teach you to liaise between system developers and clinicians and deepen your knowledge of related regulations and practices.

Students can expect to take core MSN courses such as:

• Evidence-Based Practice
• Healthcare Technology
• Health Policy
• Advanced Clinical Knowledge

As you earn a master's degree in nursing informatics, you'll also take major-specific courses like:

• Advanced Nursing Informatics
• Healthcare Informatics Systems Analysis
• Healthcare Informatics Design
• Healthcare Project Management
• Healthcare Data Science
• Healthcare Data Analytics
• Practicum

Salary

MSN-educated nurse informaticists earn an average annual salary of $90,000 or $37.06 an hour, according to Payscale.

Nursing Informatics Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP)

A DNP degree is a terminal nursing degree that prepares nurses for leadership positions. DNP nurse informaticists select, implement, and optimize information systems to support nursing and interprofessional care. They also ensure patient access to essential health information.

Coursework

The only difference between a DNP and an MSN degree is that a doctorate is a terminal nursing degree. DNP students take similar courses to MSN students, with the addition of administrative classes and a dissertation. Therefore, this degree is ideal for those interested in nursing informatics administration.

Salary

A chief nursing informatics officer earns an average annual salary of $155,833 or $75 an hour, per ZipRecruiter's most recent reports.

5 Nursing Informatics Jobs

The following is a list of some of the top jobs you can do with a nursing informatics degree.

1. Director of Clinical Informatics

A director of clinical informatics oversees the informatics department and is an administrator-level position. This position oversees nursing informatics as well as medical staff. 

• Salary: $105,654 (Payscale)
• Education Requirements: Minimum MSN degree
• Where You Can Work:
  • Hospitals
  • Insurance Companies
  • Government Facilities
  • Electronic Medical Record Companies
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Private Clinics
  • Academia
  • Research Organizations

2. Nursing Informatics Specialist

Nursing informatics specialists are on the front line of building a connection between nursing and information technology. They work on integrating tech innovations and train nurses to use them. Specifically, they work closely with EMR software that improves patient care and patient outcomes.

• Salary: $91,282 (Payscale)
• Education Requirements: Minimum BSN degree
• Where You Can Work:
  • Hospitals
  • Insurance Companies
  • Electronic Medical Record Companies
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Private Clinics
  • Academia
  • Research Organizations
  • Government Facilities

3. Nursing Informatics Researcher

Researchers help develop new technologies and determine their effectiveness by creating research projects and studying them. Nursing informatics researchers organize, analyze, and interpret data. 

• Salary: $84,610 (Payscale)
• Education Requirements: Minimum MSN degree
• Where You Can Work:
  • Government Facilities
  • Academia
  • Research Organizations
  • Non-Profit Organizations

4. Chief Nursing Informatics Officer

A Chief Nursing Informatics Officer (CNIO) oversees the safe, efficient, and secure healthcare technology implementation. As an administrator, a CNIO oversees a team of informaticists. They also train new employees and oversee the implementation of new EMR technology.

• Salary: $155,833 (ZipRecruiter)
• Education Requirements: Minimum MSN degree
• Where You Can Work:
  • Academia
  • Insurance Companies
  • Electronic Medical Record Companies
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Private Clinics
  • Healthcare Organizations
  • Private Practices

5. Nursing Professor

Earning a nursing informatics degree doesn’t mean that you have to work directly in a healthcare facility. Educators work in the classroom and visit private practices and hospitals to educate staff on EMRs and healthcare technologies.

• Salary: $80,780 (BLS)
• Education Requirements: Minimum MSN degree
• Where You Can Work:
  • Academia
  • Electronic Medical Record Companies

Is a Nursing Informatics Degree Right For You?

The need for nursing informaticists will only grow as healthcare systems evolve to use advanced tech like EMRs. Earning a nursing informatics degree may help you find secure, lucrative employment for years to come. These degrees are also ideal for those who want a healthcare job that nourishes their interest in computers and technology.

FAQs

• What can you do with a degree in nursing informatics?

  • You can choose various careers with a degree in nursing informatics. These jobs include clinical analyst, director of clinical informatics, chief nursing informatics officer, health information specialist, and/or nursing informatics specialist.

• How much can you make as an informatics nurse?

  • Payscale reports that the average annual salary for informatics nurses is $84,610 or $37.35 an hour. 

• Are there online nursing informatics degrees?

  • Yes, you can earn a nursing informatics degree online. Several universities offer online nursing informatics certificates or MSN degrees, although some require in-person clinicals.