15 Careers for Informatics Nurses

With the ever-increasing demand for information-technology driven patient care comes the need for tech-savvy clinicians as well. There are many informatics-based roles a nurse may fill with their nursing background, education, and some additional training in information technology or leadership. Here are 15 careers for informatics nurses (please note that titles and job descriptions may vary by company or health organization):

Nursing Informatics Specialist:

Nursing Informatics Specialists are mid-level healthcare professionals who are responsible for managing and analyzing healthcare data to improve patient care quality. This role utilizes a healthcare background and IT knowledge to build, modify, and develop a health organization’s computerized systems, ensuring that they operate as efficiently, effectively, and securely as possible.

Nursing informatics professionals are typically in charge of developing and educating healthcare organization staff about user interfaces, implementing strategies to improve patient record management systems and documentation practices, and facilitating communication among the IT team, healthcare practitioners, and other stakeholders.

Typical job responsibilities might include:

• Building and designing user interfaces to document and evaluate patient and health organization data.
• Troubleshooting and resolving software and hardware problems to make sure patient care is not interrupted.
• Reviewing existing systems and suggesting enhancements to improve workflows and patient outcomes.
• Training staff to remain compliant with the company’s security, data standards, as well as those mandated by law.
• Analyzing and optimizing data for use in healthcare improvement processes.
• Participating in the creation of and implementation of a plan to keep the organization’s sensitive information, digital security and registries current.
• Tracking project progress to regularly report to leadership and other stakeholders.

Clinical Analyst:

A clinical analyst is medical professional who uses computer systems and data in the healthcare industry. They are in charge of designing, creating, deploying, and managing software and databases that store and process clinical data. They also evaluate data to improve workflow, quality, and efficiency in healthcare services. They also train and oversee employees on how to operate the systems and data correctly.

Typical Clinical Analyst job responsibilities might include:

• Design, develop, or implement clinical application systems, databases, and other software that utilize health information.
• Capture and process clinical data, including the entry, verification,reporting, and protection of sensitive information.
• Analyze clinical data to optimize workflows and ensure that technical documentation is available and reports can be rendered.
• Provide training for clinical staff on how to use clinical application systems and the importance of accurate data capture.
• Collaborate with medical professionals to design and interpret data analysis tools.
• Perform regular system upgrades, quality checks, enhancement testing, and maintenance to improve productivity and efficiency.
• Develop and prepare training tools, user manuals, and standard operating procedures.
• Compliance with organization rules, as well as local, state, and federal laws and regulations regarding the use of protected health information.
• Keep up-to-date on database and application technology, as well as industry best practices.

Chief Nursing Informatics Officer:

A CNIO, or Chief Nursing Informatics Officer, is responsible for ensuring that healthcare technology is used effectively and securely in the workplace. They are well acquainted with current medical application systems and continually seek ways to integrate technology more organically into these systems.
The role of chief nursing informatics officer is highly specialized, and the education required is quite advanced. A master’s degree in nursing or clinical informatics, in addition to many active licenses, may be required for this position.

A CNIO’s duty varies due to the position’s nature. Maintaining an observant attitude toward their medical environments or organizational surroundings, they frequently carry out duties such as:

• Integration of new technologies in a medical setting overseen by IT experts and the staff that will regularly use them.
• Training seminars for organization employees on the safe usage of any new technology launched.
• Regular testing of existing technology on-site to confirm that its continuing usage is safe and appropriate.
• Collaboration with organizational executives and staff members to obtain feedback on existing integrated technology, and to identify opportunities where either more or less technology could be implemented. 
• Auditing workplace technology for both efficiency and ethical considerations.
• Developing policies that allow for the safe use of technology while not jeopardizing job role duties.

Clinical Product Analyst:

A clinical product analyst oversees a clinical application or software. Clinicians working in this role will be responsible for gathering technical business requirements and maintaining relevant documentation, user acceptance testing (UAT), product enhancements, and overall project management for EHR and other clinical informatics applications.

Job duties for a Clinical Product Analyst might consist of:

• Produce technical documents such as end-user documentation, how-to guides, integration guidelines, computer system operations documents, and project specifications.
• Operate as the project manager for the clinical operations system team.
• Provide tracking and monitoring for the implementation of new software applications.
• Provide and assist staff in training on the successful deployment and use of clinical information technology.
• Engage with staff to identify specific technical and operational requirements and aid in the creation of action plans.
• Provide regular analytics, insights, and reports to monitor the impact of projects and optimize the use of clinical IT systems.
• Coordinate user acceptance testing procedures.
• Assist with the creation and implementation of electronic clinical protocols.

Clinical Decision Support Specialist:

A Clinical Decision Support Specialist works with clinical decision support systems. These specialists contribute to a tool or system that provides guidance and data to help improve healthcare decisions and outcomes. CDS can deliver timely and relevant information to medical professionals, staff, patients, and others at the point of care or throughout the clinical workflow. CDS can assist with routine processes, warn of potential issues, and give alternatives for the clinician to consider.

Job duties for a Clinical Decision Support Specialist may consist of:

• Is in charge of ensuring that clinical decision support technologies are accurate, up-to-date, and successful at improving patient outcomes.
• Collaborates with clinical professionals to identify areas where clinical decision support technologies could be improved.
• They are responsible for ensuring that clinical decision support systems are effectively integrated into the clinical workflow.
• They also train clinical professionals on how to use clinical decision-support systems.

EHR Support Analyst:

EHR analysts are in charge of verifying that electronic health records (EHRs) work properly and are capable of providing useful data. They frequently collaborate with a wide range of healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, and other medical personnel. Their task is to review the data collected by EHR systems and find any errors or inconsistencies to ensure that all patient information is properly and securely recorded.

Typical job responsibilities for an EHR Support Analyst might include:

• Analyzing patient records to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and standards of care.
• Ensuring the security of electronic medical records by implementing downtime procedures and data backup strategies.
• Being familiar with different clinical and ancillary workflows in the EHR.
• Analyzing data to find trends in patient care or treatment plan responses.
• Conducting research to find best practices in health care IT or to meet organizational requirements.
• Creating reports based on numerous data sources from the EHR to assist facility leadership and personnel in monitoring different processes.
• Update patient records with updated information on diagnoses, therapies, and test results.
• Monitor applications which interface with the EHR to ensure data transfer meets the necessary standards.
• Design, develop, update, and maintain the EHR application as needed.
• Provide tiered support to facility end-users to resolve problem tickets.
• Provide training and educational resources to clinical staff.

Nursing Informatics Director:

The director of nursing informatics is responsible for overseeing the daily operations and design of information technology systems. They ensure that these systems allow for efficient data collection, management, and analysis. They may offer direct assistance or supervise technicians and clinical teams by offering guidance, knowledge, and implementation support. The director of nursing informatics collaborates with the chief nursing informatics officer (CNIO) or chief nursing officer (CNO) to develop a plan for using technology, data, and evidence-based information systems to improve facility processes and patient outcomes.

A Nursing Informatics Director may be responsible for the the following:

• The Implementation and support of organization wide standardization, utilization, integration, and optimization activities related to CPOE and advanced clinical applications and tools.
• Develops, executes, and promotes CPOE tools and resources.
• Facilitates and provides project leadership for various EHR and clinical documentation-related initiatives.
• Works to resolve complex issues and requests through problem tickets and other hospital IT service resources.
• Identifies gaps in departmental workflow mappings and works to improve those processes.
• Provides system and operational expertise for the implementation of processes and system enhancements.
• Works with clinical educators to develop education and training materials to support staff training.
• Supports hospital initiatives in meeting core measure criteria as well as service and safety goals.
• Provides leadership and informatics representation within facility committees.
• Facilitates IT communications to physicians, nursing, and ancillary staff members.
• Supports all clinicians accessing and utilizing software services and applications.

Clinical Applications Project Manager:

Working under the leadership of the CIO or other informatics and IT-related leadership, the Clinical Applications Project Manager oversees a set of practices that, if executed well, will increase the likelihood that the informatics project will succeed. Project managers are involved in the planning, implementation, and ongoing support work for company-wide informatics undertakings. They act as important mediators between teams when something is going wrong or there’s a communication breakdown. Furthermore, they provide regular feedback to stakeholders regarding the project’s progress and address any barriers. 

A Clinical Applications Project Manager would employ some of the following practices (Hebda & Czar, 2015):

• Understand the internal and external drivers of change
• Overseeing a detailed analysis and feasibility review
• Defining the scope of the project
• Determining the outcomes to be achieved
• Identifying the tasks within the project, when they must occur and any interdependencies
• Obtaining and organizing the human resources
• Defining who will be responsible for each task
• Establishing timelines for task and project completion
• Establishing how project decisions will be made
• Ensuring that stakeholders receive appropriate communication about the status of the project

Clinical Applications Manager:

The Clinical Applications Manager manages a healthcare organization’s clinical analyst staff. This team may support all end users of the EHR and other clinical applications, as well as identify process improvements and implement enhancements in clinicians’ evidence-based practices. The Clinical Applications Manager assures the continuity and alignment of the organization’s clinical leadership team. The Clinical Applications Manager may also assist in the creation of guidelines, processes, and standards for initiatives that affect clinicians.

A clinical applications manager should be strong in the following areas:

• Comprehensive understanding and awareness of current and newly emerging clinical application technology.
• Advanced comprehension of the workflow and methods for clinical application support
• Capability and willingness to dedicate themselves to their team to learn and develop, to create a feeling of direction and drive, and to put forth their best effort
• Having the ability to guide with an excellent executive presence
• Ability to establish and maintain partnerships with leaders of various organizational levels.
• Capacity for collaborating alongside colleagues on strategic prioritization of clinical applications project portfolio.
• Capability to use keen attention to detail and take the lead in a dynamic, fast-paced work environment

Nurse Researcher:

Nurse researchers formulate research questions, design and conduct scientific investigations, gather and evaluate data, and present their outcomes. They possess an understanding of informatics, scientific research processes, and data collection and analysis, in addition to conventional nursing training and an RN license. Nurse researchers frequently rely on grants to conduct the research they are doing, which entails preparing grant proposals and following documentation requirements. A research nurse provides care and treatment for human participants in scientific or medical trials or studies and is responsible for monitoring patients’ health and safety under strict regulatory oversight and additionally collecting and analyzing data for research purposes.

A Nurse Researcher might have the following job responsibilities:

• Perform health assessments and other testing to ensure that participants match the prerequisites of the study or trial.
• Prepare and monitor the dosages of medications and other treatments for clinical trial participants.
• Perform diagnostic tests and monitor the participants’ health through regular examinations.
• Observe participants for evidence of improvement or health decline; document those observations and any changes in health status; and offer clinical care as needed.
• Maintain detailed records of all data collected from patients, including patient responses, adverse effects, and medical histories.
• Ensure that all applicable safety protocols are followed during clinical studies.

Nurse Consultant:

A nurse consultant offers consultation services to help enhance nursing and other health care programs and standards. Informatics Nurse consultants could work as clinical application consultants or informatics operations consultants. Nurse consultants are often subject matter experts (SME) in a certain area of informatics who are hired or contracted to lend their knowledge to a hospital or organization.

A Nurse Consultant specializing in informatics might be contracted to provide insight on the following:

• Departmental system enhancements.
• Implementation of electronic health records.
• Documentation optimization.
• Accurate collection of data and process improvements to meet regulatory standards and other strategic goals.
• Care coordination processes.
• Public health initiatives involving clinical application systems or data capture.

Clinical Systems Educator:

A clinical systems educator is in charge of developing and delivering clinical programs, conducting research and analysis of knowledge gaps, and providing day-to-day educational assistance for clinical applications.

Typical duties for a Clinical Systems Educator might include:

• Serve as a liaison for clinical management staff, other executives, information technology teams, and others to provide uniformity in training, optimization, stabilization, and support throughout the organization as needed.
• Work with internal and external vendors and staff as needed to develop computerized or web-based education options.
• Utilize education tracking mechanisms that meet the clinical needs of the organization during initial roll-outs, initiatives, projects, and ongoing training.
• Also responsible for managing, designing, and delivering education curriculum, lesson plans, optimization, and support materials, as well as in-person instruction.

Telehealth Nurse:

Telehealth nurses work with telecommunication technology to deliver education and care to their patients. They can conduct initial patient assessments, create nursing care plans, carry out interventions, and track patients’ progress. This process nevertheless guarantees proper documentation and the confidentiality of all patient information. Telehealth nurses are vital for those who require specialized care but do not have access to it due to a variety of factors.

A Telehealth nurse might typically perform some of the following duties:

• Evaluating patients’ current medical conditions and providing updates on medical histories, symptoms, and new concerns.
• Communicating with patients to assess their physical and emotional well-being while also offering information on treatment alternatives, side effects, and potential problems with medications or treatments.
• Monitoring patients’ vital signs to determine whether immediate emergency medical assistance is required.
• Assessing patient needs, such as mental health or substance misuse difficulties, as well as performing interviews and psychological tests to monitor therapy success.
• Creating treatment plans while teaching patients how to manage their health issues at home.
• Physical examinations and diagnostic tests are performed to evaluate the patient’s condition.
• Setting up appointments and recommending people to specialists.
• Helping doctors reduce patient load and provide clinical support to patients in remote regions through telemedicine.
• Providing medical advice to patients with minor health conditions and assisting emergency response teams in transferring patients to the hospital.

Nursing Informatics Advocate/Policy Developer:

A Nursing Informatics Advocate/Policy Developer is a professional who aims to improve the quality and efficiency of health care by utilizing information technology. They are in charge of developing and enacting policies, procedures, and recommendations to guarantee the best use of nursing informatics systems. In addition, they advocate for the safe and effective use of information technology. 

Typical duties for a Nursing Informatics Advocate/Policy Developer might include:

• Performing analysis concerning the way information technology affects nursing practice, education, administration, and research.
• Partnering with stakeholders, including nurses, physicians, administrators, educators, researchers, and vendors, to identify and respond to informatics concerns and opportunities.
• Establishing and evaluating standards, best practices, and ethical principles for nursing informatics.
• Ensure that nurses and other healthcare workers receive education and training on technology systems,
• Contributing to designing, developing, testing, and assessing nursing informatics systems and applications.
• Monitoring and assuring compliance with nursing informatics-related rules, regulations, and policies.

Nursing-Clinical Quality Roles:

A Clinical Quality Nurse, while not generally considered an informatics professional, will regularly perform data collecting and analysis using clinical application systems. This role will require strong collaboration with interdisciplinary teams (including informatics) to ensure that nursing practice fulfills quality standards for a specific patient population. Their purpose is to improve patient care in a cost-effective manner.

A clinical quality nurse’s tasks may include:

• Monitoring medication ordering and administration.
• Reporting dangers or concerns to top leaders and committees.
• Engaging in research projects.
• Evaluating medical records to ensure they are comprehensive and appropriate.
• Work to improve treatment quality across all hospital departments and sites by assessing clinical competencies.
• Ensure regulatory compliance by successfully meeting abstracted core measures and eCQMs.
• Develop policies to prevent adverse events.
• Promoting infection prevention.

There are numerous opportunities for nurses who want to work in informatics, and this list is expected to grow as more aspects of healthcare are integrated with technology. Subscribe today to discover more about this intriguing field!