1. BECOME A NURSING INFORMATICS SPECIALIST
Most nurses are not adequately trained in information technology. As computers
become increasingly important, nurse informatics specialists will become even more
important in bridging the gap between clinical care skills and technology. For example, areas
such as word processing, information search and retrieval, and data analysis may need a
nurse informatics specialist's expertise to translate the language appropriately. Specialists
also bring clinical knowledge to more advanced technical projects such as the development
of administrative computer systems and the interpretation of complex medical data.
The demand for all types of nurses is expected to increase significantly over the next
ten years. In general, the more training, certifications and experience a nurse has, the more
demand there will be for his or her skill set.
Job demand positively affects salaries, schedules, job openings, and the availability of
training institutions and government grants for education. If the opportunity to combine both
your nursing expertise and technical skills interests you, a career as a nurse informatics
specialist might be right for you.
Most nurse informatics specialists' work in a hospital or health care setting, but a
significant percentage holds lucrative positions with health-related vendors, suppliers and
consulting firms.