For nurses considering a degree in Informatics, many see that there are some schools offering a master’s degree in Health Informatics, and others offering one in Nursing Informatics. I am often asked what the difference is between Health Informatics vs Nursing Informatics, and if one is better than the other.

I like to start by pointing out that a degree is not needed to get into this field. Employers are looking for relevant experience, so the most effective first step is to join a technology project at your place of work. I wrote another post about why getting experience is a great first step, so make sure to read that one if you are just beginning.

However, there are times in a Nursing Informatics career where an advanced degree can be beneficial. For example, if you already have experience in Nursing Informatics and want to climb the corporate ladder with the goal of becoming a Chief Nursing Informatics Officer. Or if you have reached the point in your career where your peers tend to have advanced degrees, and you might be at a disadvantage without one. At that point it makes sense to look at your degree options.

What that being said, we can start our discussion of the differences between Health Informatics vs Nursing Informatics by first understanding what each one is.

What is Health Informatics?

The Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) offers one definition. They define ‘Healthcare Informatics’ as a combination of healthcare, computer, information, and cognitive sciences to manage health information. They also define Nursing Informatics as a subset of Health Informatics that is specific to the role of nurses in healthcare.

The American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) defines Health Informatics as a field that, “applies principles of computer and information science to the advancement of life sciences research, health professions education, public health, and patient care.” They point out that ‘Informatics’ refers to the science of using data, information, and knowledge, and technology is part of it.

What is Nursing Informatics?

There are fancy definitions of Nursing Informatics out there. But the way I think of it is as a combination of Nursing, Computer Science, and Data Science. Nursing Informatics takes advantage of the technology and data available to solve clinical problems and improve health outcomes for people.

Informatics Nurses have a critical role in the ongoing development and improvement of health technology. We translate clinical and technical needs into something everyone on the team can understand. We are responsible for making sure technology is user-friendly and helpful for healthcare workers.

Because we sit between clinical and technical, Informatics Nurses drive technology application in healthcare. This is especially important because health technology is one of the main reasons for clinician burnout. Even before the pandemic, studies found 40% of clinician stress came from the electronic health systems they used.

Clinician burnout is causing healthcare companies to seek out and compete for Health Informatics professionals like Informatics Nurses. You can read more about the field of Nursing Informatics in this post.

Where do Health Informatics and Nursing Informatics overlap?

Both are rapidly growing fields that leverage new technology and data to solve healthcare problems. These fields have both been around for the last 30-40 years, but got more visibility with the technology boom of the last 20 years. Both fields also seek to build a bridge between the clinical and technical worlds. Nursing Informatics specifically addresses building the bridge between Nursing and technology, while Health Informatics is more broad.

The explosion of health data collected by electronic health record systems (EHRs) as well as personal devices increases the need for professionals who know how to manage and analyze this data.

What is different about Health Informatics vs Nursing Informatics?

There are two ways we can look at differences:

Way #1: Is there a difference in training for people with degrees in Health Informatics vs Nursing Informatics?

The answer to this question is ‘yes,’ and the first reason why is so obvious I have to say it out loud: Nursing Informatics degrees are for nurses. You find these degrees at schools of nursing, and you have to be a nurse to qualify to get in.

Health Informatics degrees do not require any clinical background and are for anyone who meets the admission requirements. You can be a nurse, but you do not have to be. You could be a social worker, a violin teacher, or a history major – as long as you meet the school’s admission requirements, you can get into this type of program.

Admissions criteria:

Using two real examples, here are the admission criteria for two such programs:

Hofstra University – Master of Science in Health Informatics Admission Requirements:

• A completed online application form to the master’s program.
• Baccalaureate undergraduate degree from an accredited institution of higher learning, including submission of all transcripts from undergraduate institutions.
• Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0.
• Two letters of reference addressing the applicant’s potential for success in graduate school and the health informatics field.
• Written personal statement identifying areas of interest and reasons for seeking advanced training in health informatics.
• Resume or CV.
• Interview with program director and/or program faculty member may be required.             
• International applicants for whom English is not their first language must submit TOEFL scores.

Rutgers School of Nursing – Master of Science in Nursing Informatics Admission Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing from a nationally accredited program
• GPA of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale
• Current RN license in New Jersey
• Completed online application including personal statement, resume, and proof of RN licensure
• Official transcript of all prior college work
• Two scholarly papers in which you’re the main author, like a published article, book chapter, or paper completed for school (if you don’t have one, you may write a scholarly paper on a topic of your choice — double-spaced and 6- to 10-pages long with APA-formatted references)
• Two letters of reference from professionals, one of whom must be a nurse academician

Curriculum:

In terms of curriculum, the programs are actually pretty similar. Both cover the areas of:

• Health Information Systems
• Evidence-based practice
• Project Management
• Leadership and change management
• Database management
• System design and development
• Data analysis
• Topics in the field of Informatics

Both programs also require practicums or internships where students must go into real technology settings to learn from practicing professionals.

Where the programs differ slightly is the focus in the Nursing Informatics program on nurses and nursing issues. Where both programs may cover leadership topics, the Nursing Informatics program is specifically focused on Nurse leaders, not healthcare leaders broadly.

However, that does not mean Health Informatics programs ignore the clinical background of students. In fact, Hofstra’s program offers two different tracks, IT Track and Clinical Track, to support student’s experience and knowledge. If you are a clinician, presumably you might choose the Clinical Track.

But the real question most nurses want to know is if there is one degree that is better for their career than the other. Which leads us to the next way to view this subject…

Way #2: Is there a difference in the job market for people with Health Informatics vs Nursing Informatics degrees?

The answer to this is simple: ‘No, not really.’ This goes back to how employers are looking for relevant experience more than they are looking for degrees. It does not matter which degree you get if you do not have the experience to back it up.

It is a common misconception that a degree or certification in Informatics is required to enter this field. Neither are required, and if you do a search for Nursing Informatics job postings, you will like see a number of them list the BSN, MSN, and certification as ‘preferred’ (i.e. optional) qualifications.

Recruiters and hiring managers are primarily looking for relevant experience. In the business world, experience beats education the majority of the time. If you put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes, this makes sense.

The hiring manager likely has several major computer systems to keep running, and/or a big technology project underway. They do not want to waste their time hiring people who have all the degrees but little of the experience needed to jump in. They want candidates who can hit the ground running.

However, as I mentioned earlier, if you are looking to advance your Nursing Informatics career and are wondering which program is better, that is different. In that case, I would evaluate the programs based on the following three criteria:

Criteria #1: Are all courses online, or is there opportunity to be in person and build your professional network?

As convenient as online courses are, more important than your degree is your professional network. A graduate program should be an opportunity to build that network and add people who can help you advance your career. I would look at how the program helps you do that.

Criteria #2: Does the program help you set up practicum opportunities? Or do you have to find them on your own?

The program I attended connected me with Informatics Nurses at different organizations so I could do my practicum in other places than where I worked. However, not every program does that. Many programs expect you to do the leg work to find a preceptor, and that can be challenging if you do not have much of a network in this field. I would opt for programs that offer some assistance.

Criteria #3: Return on investment

I would not go into any program assuming I will automatically get a big pay bump after graduation. One exception is if you are already in this field and your employer has guaranteed you a promotion for completing an Informatics degree. Unless that is your situation, I highly recommend taking cost into account and making sure you are not leaving the program with lots of debt.

Both types of programs can be costly. When I got my Master’s in Nursing Informatics, my employer paid for it. My employer would only pay for a nursing degree, however, because the degree had to be aligned to my current role. If I tried to get my degree in Health Informatics or another area without ‘nursing’ in the title, I would have been on my own. That tuition coverage was a major decision point for me.

Key Takeaways:

Ultimately, there is not a lot of difference between Health Informatics vs Nursing Informatics. The main difference is one focuses on nurses, and the other is more broad. But the programs themselves have enough overlap that either one can boost your career if done at the right time. More important than the degree is making sure you have the right experience. Informatics employers weigh experience more than degrees, so it is critical that you time this well in your career.

Like this topic? You may have what it takes to be a great Informatics Nurse! Here are two ways to get started:

Option 1: Sign up for Career Coaching! If you would like hands-on help planning your Nursing Informatics career, apply for one of my career coaching packages or book a Coaching Call. Check out my Services page for more information.

Option 2: Check out From Bedside Nurse to Informatics Nurse: A How-To Guide available in our online store.