I recently came across an article called, Types of Nurse Informaticists Infographic, published by HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society). The article pointed out how Informatics Nurses are rightfully gaining recognition as critical members of the healthcare team. Because we are the bridge between technical and clinical, Nursing Informatics is critical as technology advances.

However, the actual list of different types of Informatics Nurses seemed quite limited in my view. The article only mentions roles with ‘Nursing Informatics’ in the title. I have been an Informatics Nurse for more than a decade. I have yet to have a title with ‘Nursing Informatics’ in it. On top of that, technology companies recognize the value nurses bring to design and deployment. Many Informatics Nurses find themselves in jobs where the word ‘nurse’ is not in the title. Some examples of other titles include Client Success Manager and Clinical Data Consultant.

Instead of relying on the limited world of titles only with the words ‘Nursing Informatics’ in them, I thought I would give a view of some common roles Informatics Nurses take on. This is not meant to be a limited list of the different types of Informatics Nurses. This is meant to give some insight into how limitless our roles are becoming.

An Expanded List of Different Types of Informatics Nurses:

Here are five more types of Informatics Nurses. Many of these are roles I have had in my career.

Business Analyst:

Once you hear what a ‘Business Analyst’ does, it is not surprising this is a starting role for many Informatics Nurses. In fact, my first job in an Information Technology department was as a Clinical Business Analyst.

According to CIO.com, a Business Analyst is “responsible for bridging the gap between IT and the business.” A Business Analyst is responsible for using data to evaluate processes and business requirements (in other words, what the business or clinical unit needs to perform their work). They deliver recommendations to project stakeholders, and engage leaders to propose changes that improve quality and add value.

In the clinical setting, this role often focuses on process improvement to improve clinical outcomes. Clinical Business Analysts also help to integrate data into the clinical workflow so it is available to clinicians where it can be most helpful.

To qualify to become a Business Analyst, you typically need to understand the clinical processes. You also need to understand the requirements and data used to measure performance, also called ‘key performance indicators’. Strong communication skills and the ability to prioritize among competing needs are also valuable skills for this role. To get the exact requirements, you will need to look for Business Analyst jobs in your area. Search for ‘clinical Business Analyst’ since every industry uses Business Analysts. Some require a bachelor’s degree, but many are looking for relevant experience in healthcare.

Here are some sample Business Analyst job descriptions from Indeed, the first of which is based in healthcare.

System Trainer:

Many nurses are familiar with systems trainers because that is often who teaches us how to use the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) when we are hired into a new nursing role. According to Zippia.com, a systems trainer “prepares training materials and implements training programs to teach and guide employees in properly utilizing various computer programs and applications.” This involves assessing the training needs of employees, helping staff learn how to perform their job duties, and evaluating the effectiveness of training.

This is actually the first Nursing Informatics role I ever had, and is one I was able to get before even finishing my MSN in Nursing Informatics. Systems training is a wonderful, hands-on starting point for a Nursing Informatics career. For that reason I highly recommend it as the entry for nurses interested in this field.

Becoming a trainer forces you to learn the clinical system inside and out. It also gives you experience with how other nurses use the system. You will learn where they get stuck and how the system can be improved.

To become a systems trainer, the easiest path is to apply within your organization. You can talk with your organization’s education team to see how you can transfer into a training role. They will likely want to see you be a super user first. A super user is someone who knows the system very well and serves as a resource to the other nurses. A systems trainer takes the super user role a step further and involves actually teaching systems classes to nurses.

Project Manager:

One of the most common roles in which you will see Informatics Nurses is Project Manager. It may sound obvious to say Project Managers lead projects. To be more specific, they take the lead in “planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and closing out projects” as described by CIO.com. They are responsible for the project timeline, resources, and budget needed to deliver the project successfully.

The Project Manager does not complete a whole project by themselves. Instead, they are the head of a team of people who work together. In healthcare technology, the other members of the team include business analysts, developers, quality testers, and systems trainers.

One way to get started as a Project Manager is to join a team in another role, such as systems trainer or subject matter expert. That gives you an opportunity to see an experienced Project Manager at work and to learn from them. You could then advance to managing small projects yourself. However, it is not uncommon for project management to require some specialized training as well as experience.

You do not need to go to graduate school for that training. You can actually obtain it through organizations like the Project Management Institute (PMI). The PMI is the organization that administers the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. For many years that certification was the gold standard for all technology Project Managers.

Nurses often ask me what certifications they need for Nursing Informatics. The PMP is why I am hesitant to recommend they run out and get the Nursing Informatics certification. The PMP is much more widely recognized. At many companies it is a basic requirement for project management roles. However scrum master certifications are starting to become more popular. Again, it helps to see what roles are most common in your area.

Product Owner:

A very common role to find in health technology startups is the role of Product Owner. This role is responsible for creating the vision for a product based on the needs of a customer. In the healthcare context, that customer may be a nurse, a patient, or another member of the healthcare team. The Product Owner has to convey their vision to the technology team developing the product.

For this reason, a number of startups hire Informatics Nurses who can bridge the gap between clinical and technical. Product Owner is a term specifically used in the project management methodology called Agile. The basic idea is to have a way of creating software that is flexible and adaptable to the changing needs of the customer.

A key part of the role of the Product Owner is to prioritize what the customer needs. This is to make sure the technology team works on the most valuable parts first. For example, picture a product that is a new chat bot for teaching patients how to administer diabetes medication. The Product Owner might prioritize a feature focused on safe injection technique over one about counting carbohydrates.

I think of this role as almost a cross between a Business Analyst and a Project Manager. Similar to the Business Analyst, the role requires understanding of business process and performance. But like a Project Manager, the Product Owner leads the team in priorities and keeps the team focused on value.

For those reasons, it is not the best entry level role if you have no experience working with a technology team. However, it is definitely a role you could get into after a few years of experience. It is a fun role with lots of opportunity to be creative and build new things.

Entrepreneur:

Some people do not realize that Informatics Nurses can be entrepreneurs. There are many nurses starting their own companies to create new platforms, apps, and telehealth services. In fact, NursePitch is a competition for nurse innovators that awards prize money. The Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and the American Nurses Association (ANA) sponsor the competition each year. The winning ideas this year included:

• A platform to support pregnant mothers and parents using telehealth, phone, chat and group classes
• A company that improves patient education through simulation
• An e-platform to support social justice in Nursing

But coming up with new amazing technology is not the only way Informatics Nurses can be entrepreneurs. We can also work as independent consultants, offering our services to organizations implementing technology. Some Informatics Nurses even have their own consulting firms. They hire others to provide a full suite of services to healthcare organizations.

There are no specific requirements to becoming an entrepreneur other than a willingness to take some risk. It could help to follow this path once you have some experience with technology so you can leverage contacts you made.

Key Takeaways:

Informatics Nurses are not confined only to roles with the words ‘Nurse’ and ‘Informatics’ in the title. There are many different types of Informatics Nurses out there. Hopefully this article sheds some light on different areas Informatics Nurses can get into.