For nurses interested in this field, it is helpful to know some of the important professional groups for Nursing Informatics. Professional groups can help with networking, training and education, and staying on top of key topics in this area. Professional groups for Nursing Informatics are different than ones for nursing in several ways we will discuss below. It is helpful to know who the major professional groups are and leverage them to grow your Nursing Informatics career.

Why join a professional group?

In my last semester of nursing school, I remember the dean encouraging us to join professional nursing organizations. She said it was our duty as nurses to stay connected and on top of developments in our profession. I joined the American Nurses Association right out of school. Throughout my career I continue to be involved in different professional organizations as they become relevant.

In Nursing Informatics there are benefits to joining a professional group, or at least getting on the mailing list. Here are the top three reasons:

Reason #1: Stay on top of health technology changes.

Health technology is constantly changing. For that reason alone it helps to have access to a group that keeps members up to date. Many groups provide opportunities to learn more or gain certification. Many professional groups publish articles, newsletters, and even webcasts to cover new and emerging topics in health technology.

Reason #2: Build your professional network.

One reason why it can be hard for nurses to get jobs in Nursing Informatics is because of network. Health technology jobs tend to go to people who are already known to a company. Hiring managers do not want to take chances on nurses they have not met. They want to vet candidates with others in this field.

This is where joining a professional organization can help. Through courses, meetings, and conferences, you can start to meet more people in Nursing Informatics. Building your professional network is what will help you land that Nursing Informatics job.

Reason #3: Continuing education opportunities.

One key benefit for members of professional groups is access to courses, conferences, and, in some cases, certifications. For example, if you ever want to get the Nursing Informatics Certification, the American Nursing Informatics Association offers members discounts on review courses. Even though certification is not required in this field, some Informatics Nurses like to have that credential.

How professional groups for Nursing Informatics are a little different:

This may sound obvious, but usually nursing professional groups are for…well…nurses. However, Nursing Informatics sits at the intersection of nursing, technology, and business. For that reason, there are professional organizations Informatics Nurses may join that are not just for nurses. In fact, the largest one is for all health technology professionals which can include nurses, programmers, data scientists, and others.

I recommend nurses keep an open mind and not stay only with professional groups with ‘nurse’ in the title. While it can be nice to be around other nurses, there are learning opportunities with people in different roles. Another thing to consider is leaders in health technology tend to be technology or business people, not clinical. It can help to stay connected with the organizations they are likely to know.

The key professional group for Nursing Informatics:

Without further ado, here are the key professional groups for Nursing Informatics.

HIMSS:

This is the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, the largest professional association for health technology professionals. They boast having over 100,000 members covering 650 health services organizations, 480 provider organizations, and 470 nonprofit partners.

This is the professional group your organization’s Chief Information Officer is likely a member of. They also have a career center with job postings. This is a good place to look if you have had trouble finding Nursing Informatics jobs so far.

HIMSS offers a number of resources for health technology professionals, ranging from articles to books to their well-known annual conference. They also support a range of smaller professional groups within their association. For example, one of their initiatives is the Alliance for Nursing Informatics. This is co-sponsored by the American Medical Informatics Association which we will talk about next.

ANIA:

The American Nursing Informatics Association is a professional association specifically dedicated to Nursing Informatics. They are focused on promoting Nursing Informatics as a specialty at the intersection of nursing science, computer science, and information science. They also help members develop professionally, and publish the Journal of Informatics Nursing.

The ANIA offers members webinars as well as courses with continuing education credits. They also offer a course to help nurses prepare for the Nursing Informatics Certification. This is offered at a discounted rate for members ($340 compared to $399 for non-members). To sit for the Nursing Informatics Certification you must have 30 hours of training in the last three years. This course provides close to 12 hours. If you combine it with other courses offered by ANIA, that could be an economical way to get needed hours.

AMIA:

Based on the name you would think this is similar to the ANIA but for doctors. Instead, the American Medical Informatics Association is similar to HIMSS in that it has a broad membership. It includes clinicians as well as data scientists, developers, policymakers, and other health technology professionals. Similar to HIMSS they offer an annual conference as well as courses and other educational programs.

AMIA also has a career center with job postings, so do not forget to look here for jobs as well.

AHIMA:

This is the American Health Information Management Association, and their focus is health information professionals. They have been around since 1928 when they were the Association of Record Librarians of North America. They changed their name to what it is currently in 1991 to acknowledge how data analytics and technology were coming together.

On their website you will see they offer a lot of different certifications. Be sure to do your research before jumping into any certification, but especially these because they are highly specific to certain jobs. For example, unless you want to review charts in a provider’s office to ensure they accurately captured diagnoses and service codes (used for billing), you probably do not want to become a Certified Coding Specialist – Physician Based (CSS-P).

Instead, find out what certifications (if any) Informatics Nurses at your organization or in your local area have.

Additional professional groups to know:

Depending on where you take your Nursing Informatics career, there may be other professional groups that are helpful to you. For example:

Project Management Institute:

This is the primary professional organization for project managers. Their PMP (Project Management Professional) certification has been the gold standard for many years. They offer a number of courses, a podcast, and a book, The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). My Nursing Informatics program required that book as part of the curriculum.

National Association for Healthcare Quality:

Many Informatics Nurses find themselves working in quality departments because of their combination of clinical and data analysis skills. Most quality improvement programs evaluate data and work to change clinical processes. The National Association for Healthcare Quality is the professional organization for people in this space. In addition to articles and a conference, they also offer a certification called the CPQH – Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality.

Healthcare Data and Analytics Association:

If you find yourself drawn to the healthcare data analytics space, the Healthcare Data and Analytics Association is a group you will want to join. They offer several conferences throughout the year. In 2021 there will be one that is virtual, and in 2022 they are planning one that is in person in Miami. While this group does not offer certifications, they do cover lots of topics. For example, they cover Big Data, machine learning, artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and many other areas that are trending. They also offer the opportunity to network with people in roles like Chief Quality Officer, Chief Data Officer, and Director of Clinical Informatics.

Key Takeaways:

Joining a professional group can be a great way for Informatics Nurses to network, learn, and stay up to date. Even if you start by signing up for the mailing list, you will get a chance to learn about topics from professionals who work in these areas every day. This is also a way to find jobs and get to know people who are hiring in this field. Because this area is so specialized, professional groups for Nursing Informatics can help you to make the right connections.

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.