Nursing Informatics Programs and Schools in Missouri
Informatics has grown by leaps and bounds over the years to become a driving force in improving patient care. Nursing informatics is just one component of this. Healthcare informatics, health information management, and biomedical informatics are related disciplines that rely on big data to improve decision-making.
Since these fields are in such high demand, colleges and universities throughout Missouri have added degree programs to prepare students to fill employment vacancies. You can start your studies with a bachelor’s degree and immediately go to work upon graduation. Or, if you already have a bachelor’s degree, you might consider getting a master’s or doctorate from a Missouri college.
Whatever your future goals, you can start working on them now by enrolling in one of the popular informatics programs discussed below!
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri was founded in 1839 as a public land-grant research institution. As the largest university in the state, Mizzou offers a wide range of degrees and programs for students at all levels of study. In fact, there are nearly 100 undergraduate degree programs, nearly as many master’s degrees, and almost 70 doctoral programs available.
Located in Columbia, Mizzou has a beautiful campus with more than 31,000 students. The student body is diverse, with students from all fifty states and over 100 countries.
There are nearly 2,000 full-time faculty members, more than 92 percent of whom are ranked and have a terminal degree in their field. In other words, at Mizzou, you will learn from knowledgeable experts dedicated to helping you get the education you need for future success.
Nursing Informatics Program Information
The Master of Science in Health Informatics and Bioinformatics from the University of Missouri is an online program that requires 33 credits to graduate. You can complete the program in about two years if you study full-time.
This program was developed with working medical professionals in mind. Nursing, physicians, and other clinicians enroll in this program to enhance their ability to use information systems to improve patient outcomes.
Some of the courses you will take include:
- Introduction to the US Healthcare System
- Methods of Health Services Research
- Decision Support in Health Care Systems
- Information Security, Evaluation, and Policy
- Data Warehousing and Data/Text Mining for Health Care
This program also requires you to complete an independent research project that you present to the faculty. You must pass an oral examination on health informatics, too.
Admission to this program is contingent upon these basic requirements:
- Have at least two years of experience in healthcare or health sciences in an administrative, technical, or clinical capacity.
- Have a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally-accredited institution.
- Have a minimum 3.0 GPA in the last 60 hours of studies.
- Have English proficiency as evidenced by appropriate test scores (if English is not your native language).
University of Missouri School of Medicine
The University of Missouri School of Medicine is the oldest publicly-supported medical school west of the Mississippi River. With more than 150 years in the books, the school has become a leader in providing patient-centered care and cutting-edge medical research. Currently, there are more than 7,000 physician alumni from this program working around the world.
As a Mizzou School of Medicine student, you can pursue many different educational and research pathways. There’s a medical program, of course, but there are also many healthcare-related programs that don’t require going to medical school. Biochemistry, health management, and immunology are three options. Additionally, you can pursue a degree or certificate in informatics.
Nursing Informatics Program Information
The University of Missouri School of Medicine’s Health Management and Informatics Department offers a graduate certificate in Health Informatics that enhances your understanding of data-driven care.
The 12-credit program requires you to complete four courses. Just one course – Introduction to Health Informatics – is required. The other three courses are electives that allow you to focus your studies on an area of interest. Possible elective courses include:
- Telehealth
- Biomedical and Health Vocabularies and Ontologies
- Health Informatics Ethics
- Decision Support in Health Care Systems
- Knowledge Representation in Biology and Medicine
You can complete this program as a stand-alone certificate or as part of an add-on to a graduate degree program. Likewise, you can pursue this track as a residential student with on-campus class meetings twice a week or study in a hybrid format with online classes and in-person weekend meetings on campus.
To enroll, you must apply to the University of Missouri Graduate School and pay a $40 fee. You must also meet the following requirements:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally-accredited school
- Have a 3.0 GPA or higher in your last 60 credits of studies
- Submit official transcripts, a resume, and a curriculum vitae
- Submit a personal essay
You may also be asked to participate in an in-person or phone-based interview with faculty.
University of Missouri Kansas City
The University of Missouri at Kansas City is the second-largest member of the University of Missouri system and the fourth-largest university in the state. The school has more than 16,000 students that represent a diverse cross-section of races and cultures. In fact, nearly 40 percent of UMKC enrollees identify as mixed-race, minority, or international students.
As a student at UMKC, you can enjoy small class sizes that average about 26 students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 14-to-1, you’ll also get the individualized attention you need to succeed in your degree program. Speaking of degrees, UMKC offers more than 125 courses of study at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, including the biomedical and health informatics program discussed below.
Nursing Informatics Program Information
UMKC’s School of Graduate Studies offers a Ph.D. in Biomedical and Health Informatics that combines the study of biomedicine, computer science, and communication, among others.
This program’s focus is training researchers to investigate findings in patient care and translate those findings into improved standards of care and better healthcare policy. While this isn’t a clinical program specifically designed for nurses, it could be a valuable pursuit for a nurse that wants to move into a research or administrative role in a healthcare setting.
The biomedical and health informatics concentration requires the completion of 48 credits of post-baccalaureate studies. This includes coursework in:
- Applied Biostatistics I & II
- Clinical Research Methodology
- Quantitative Aspects of Epidemiologic Research
- Bioinformatics and Data Analysis
- Introduction to Medical Informatics
Other requirements include a qualifying examination prior to dissertation research, a comprehensive examination during dissertation research, and a dissertation defense.
The general admissions requirements for this program are as follows:
- Complete an application for admission
- Submit official transcripts from each college or university you’ve attended
- Submit letters of recommendation
- Submit any required test scores
Southeast Missouri State University
Southeast Missouri State University was founded in 1873 as a comprehensive public research institution. Today, the school offers more than 170 degree programs, of which there are nearly 130 undergraduate options, more than 30 graduate programs, and nearly a dozen certificate programs.
Southeast Missouri State is a small school with around 10,000 students. In addition to offering small class sizes, the school provides you with individualized academic support from your first day on campus until the day you graduate. With five campuses, robust financial aid programs, and innovative teaching, Southeast Missouri State makes completing your education as easy as possible.
Nursing Informatics Program Information
The Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management: Informatics from Southeast Missouri State is a 120-credit program that can be completed in four years of full-time study. Though this isn’t a nursing informatics-focused degree, it could be a good option if you already have your RN license and want to shift to an administrative role.
This program requires you to take a varied curriculum that includes coursework in the following:
- Healthcare Budgeting and Reimbursement
- Introduction to Computer Applications
- American Healthcare Systems
- Healthcare Quality and Value
- Healthcare Performance Improvement
You must also complete practicum and internship experiences in healthcare organizations that offer real-world experience applying what you have learned.
If you like, you can opt to specialize in healthcare informatics, which focuses more on learning the data-driven aspects of healthcare as opposed to the management side. This option includes coursework like:
- Healthcare Informatics
- Healthcare Database Systems
- Management Information Systems
To apply as a first-year student, you must complete an online application. There is no fee to apply, and there are no testing requirements to apply, either. In most cases, students with a high school GPA of 2.75 or higher will be admitted.
Nursing Informatics Work Opportunities in Missouri
With large cities like St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri offers ample opportunities to work in the health informatics fields. After all, there are 14 hospitals in St. Louis and eight in Kansas City alone. This doesn’t even include related healthcare facilities, like residential and outpatient treatment centers.
Of course, Missouri has many other towns and cities where nurses and health informaticists are in demand. You might work for a rural hospital system, a state or local government healthcare agency, or find work in an urgent care facility.
And with a degree in this field, the jobs you can pursue are also highly varied. If you already have a nursing education, you might find a clinical position that enables you to apply your expertise in nursing and informatics.
Or, you might work in a managerial or administrative role and focus on policies and outcomes instead of working directly with patients. In other words, a nursing informatics degree from a Missouri school can open many exciting doors for employment!
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