How to Get a Nursing Informatics Certification

If you have ever wanted to get into this new career field, this is everything you need to know about how to get a nursing informatics certification.

Does a nursing informatics specialist need a certification? Yes, if you want to become a nursing informatics specialist, you will be more successful in finding a job if you have the proper certification. This guide will show you how to get this certification and snag the job you want.

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What Is Nursing Informatics

Do you enjoy technology and prefer to work independently than on the floor? Nursing informatics might be just for you. I wrote about the nursing informatics career before.

If you get a job as a nursing informatics specialist, you would be responsible for maintaining and updating patients’ records in the computerized system. You would also have to handle quality control and create new systems for the hospital to make better use of technology.

This is a huge job and actually changes depending on where you work. At its most basic level, nursing informatics is all about data and knowledge management. Does this sound like something you’d like?

When you are ready to make this your next job, you’ll need to get certified.

ANCC Nursing Informatics Certification Requirements

What are the ANCC nursing informatics certification requirements?

If you want to obtain this certification, you’ll need to pass the ANCC Informatics Nursing board certification examination first. To apply for this exam, you might meet these requirements first.

• Have an active RN license in the United States
• Possess a bachelor’s degrees or higher in nursing or a related field
• Practiced a minimum of 2 years full-time as an RN
• Completed 30 hours of continuing education in informatics nursing within the last 3 years.
• Meet one of the following practice hour requirements:
  • Practiced a minimum of 2,000 hours in informatics nursing within the last 3 years;
    or
  • Practiced a minimum of 1,000 hours in informatics nursing in the last 3 years and completed a minimum of 12 semester hours of academic credit in informatics courses that are part of a graduate-level informatics nursing program;
    or
  • Completed a graduate program in informatics nursing containing a minimum of 200 hours of faculty-supervised practicum in informatics nursing.

If you meet all of the above requirements, you are ready for the ANCC informatics nursing board certification exam.

Honestly, the best way to obtain all of the requirements is to have your BSN, work for at least 2 years full-time, and then enroll in one of the best nursing informatics certification programs that you can find.

How do I get certified in nursing informatics?

To get certified, all you have to do is qualify for the exam, take it, and pass it. Easy, right?

The best way to do this is to look for a nursing informatics certification review. This will prepare you for the exam. In fact, taking a nursing informatics certification review course could make the difference between passing the examination and failing it.

Nursing Informatics Certification Exam Review (NICER) Program is the nursing informatics review course that we recommend. It has self-paced video training, 325 practice questions, and even includes the textbooks. We love that it’s one of the most affordable informatics nurse review courses and is 100% online and self-paced.

If you want to further your education, you can also obtain a post-graduate certificate in nursing informatics. This comes with a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) in a specialized field.

How long does it take to be a nursing informatics specialist?

In order to become certified, you have to have a BSN, and work full-time as an RN for 2 years. All together, that is 4 years of experience before you qualify for the certification.

After you meet the minimum requirements, you can spend two days taking the ANIA review course to get your certificate.

What can you do with a certificate in health informatics?

After you have your certificate, you can go after an IT career in healthcare. There are a huge variety of health informatics jobs out there! You could work in data analysis, network design, or even become a clinical informatics specialist.

From analyzing data, to overseeing and even creating new IT systems in a health care facility, the jobs are endless!

The University of Scranton has 7 different career paths you can look at when you have this certificate.

Is a nursing informatics degree worth it?

After you get an Informatics Nursing Certification you can go after a job as an informatics specialist. The salaries for these specialists are definitely worth it.

No matter which website you look at, they all show an average salary of $50k-$100k per year for people with this certification. Salary depends on where you live and how much experience you have.

It’s also definitely worth it if you have always wanted a job working with computers and technology.

More Information About Nursing Informatics

Now that you know how to get certified, here is even more information about this exciting and growing career field.

• Nurse Informaticist – The Bigger Picture Nurse
• Health Informatics: Is Technology Improving Healthcare?
• Becoming an Informatics Nurse: Going Beyond the Bedside
• Nursing Informatics Jobs – Have you considered a Career in Informatics Nursing?
• How to Get a Job in Nursing Informatics