Nursing informatics has become essential to the development of healthcare systems in many countries. With artificial intelligence (AI) becoming more advanced, professionals familiar with its applications are incredibly vital. This is where nursing informaticians come in.
Nursing informaticians are well-versed in combining healthcare data with technological applications and solutions. Given that technology and AI are so diverse in terms of applications, nursing informaticians have become masters of collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and implementing solutions to improve current healthcare systems.
By using acquired knowledge and skills, nursing informaticians can help society improve as a whole. With the total population considered as their patients, nursing informaticians are the advocates for healthcare innovation, advancements, and solutions.
Nursing Informatics Programs in North Carolina
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering nursing informatics programs in North Carolina:
- Western Governors University
- Queens University of Charlotte
- East Carolina University
- South University
- Wake Forest University
- Capella University
Western Governors University
Western Governors University was founded by governors from 19 states. This private non-profit educational institution offers undergraduate and graduate programs in business, information technology (IT), education, and healthcare.
Focusing on providing online education for adult professionals, the programs are competency-based. This allows participants to go through the courses at their own pace. Assessments are then undertaken to demonstrate acquired knowledge and skills.
Master of Science in Nursing Informatics
This online Master’s program usually has students finish within 24 months. Given that the coursework pacing is flexible, participants in the program tend to move through the materials more quickly. As a result, students get their degrees at a faster rate.
Up to 17 competency credit units can be transferred to the program, as long as they are from regionally or nationally accredited educational institutions. The Master of Science in Nursing Informatics has 14 courses, with program guides and field experiences to top off the whole experience.
Under this program, students can expect to learn the following:
- Building a professional presence with and developing a beneficial influence on patients
- Introduction to the essentials of advanced nursing roles and their interprofessional practices
- Providing quality outcomes in a value-based nursing care culture
- Fundamentals of advanced pathopharmacological knowledge
- Understanding and developing advanced health assessments for patient care populations
- Foundations on informatics for transformational nursing care delivery
- Fundamentals of nursing informatics
- Analyses, developmental, and design principles of informatics systems
- Data science, modeling, and information analytics management
Aside from theoretical knowledge, students are expected to undergo nursing informatics field activities. The experience will allow participants to practice their knowledge in authentic and relevant activities.
Students are also required to complete their clinical practice experiences. This capstone experience will serve as a culminating course for students to fully demonstrate their acquired knowledge and skills.
Western Governors University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Aside from this, the institution is recognized by the National League for Nursing (NLN).
Queens University of Charlotte
This university is located in the historic area of Myers Park, which is just a few minutes from the uptown neighborhood of Charlotte. Ranked among the top 10 schools in the country, Queens University of Charlotte has been delivering outstanding and innovative educational programs to its students.
With the nation still clamoring for more medical and nursing professionals, this university has been training students to be the best in their fields. From baccalaureate degrees to Master’s programs, Queens University of Charlotte provides convenient and flexible learning experiences.
Master of Science in Nursing Informatics
This online program requires students to complete a total of 37 credit hours in order to gain a Master’s degree in nursing informatics. The coursework has 12 classes, composed of six core classes and then followed by six classes for the nursing informatics track. Participants can expect to finish the program in two years.
Given that it is mostly online, the program benefits working professionals seeking to advance their careers in a rapidly growing industry. Participants in the program can expect to learn the following core courses:
- Theoretical foundations in nursing
- Nursing health policies
- The impact of informatics on healthcare
- Nursing data analyses and interpretations
- Fundamental research methods applicable to nursing
- Essential integrative clinical theories and concepts
Coursework specific to nursing informatics include the following topics:
- Fundaments on leadership principles and applied practices
- Essential financial management for nursing leaders
- Understanding clinical information systems
- Evaluating, managing, and implementing healthcare data
- Nursing informatics residency experience
- Nursing informatics capstone activity
While there is a necessary residency experience, on-campus residency is not required. Clinical work take up 225 hours at a clinical location of the student’s choice. In the meantime, mentors and faculty guides will facilitate the development of skills in healthcare data, clinical information systems, and financial management implementation.
The Queens University of Charlotte has accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) for baccalaureate and Master’s degrees. The university is also credited by CCNE, which ensures students acquire high-quality education and skills.
South University
South University has several locations all across the United States. Since its establishment in 1899, it has been committed to enhancing the professional, intellectual, social, and personal development of its students.
By providing exceptional faculty and staff dedicated to the learning experience, this university ensures professional fulfillment for all its students. Its online programs are known to focus on working professionals who seek career development.
Master of Science in Nursing Informatics
This program is one of the most known online career-enhancing degree platforms. Online classrooms facilitate high-quality learning suitable for the learning speed of the student. This setup makes the program highly flexible and convenient for many working healthcare professionals.
Combining a host of features, South University provides a learning experience full of engagement and flexibility designed to enhance career development. Under this program, students are required to complete 240 practicum hours throughout the program. Featuring 20 credit hours, participants can expect to learn the following from its core courses:
- Transformational leadership in advanced healthcare practices
- Advanced theoretical perspectives designed for nurses
- Advanced knowledge of pathophysiology
- Healthcare policies and healthcare promotion for advanced nursing practices
- Essential nursing research methods
For its specialization coursework that totals 28 credits hours, participants of the program can look forward to learning about the following:
- Fundamentals of information technology concepts and infrastructure
- Advanced theories on pharmacology
- Introduction to the fundamentals of nursing informatics
- Trends and issues in nursing informatics
There are two practicum subjects, which involve database management in nursing informatics, as well as nursing informatics project management. The graduate project for this program requires participants to take up four credit hours.
It should be noted that residents in some states may not be available to take this online program. Interested parties are encouraged to inquire with the university as part of their objectives in looking for suitable online degree programs.
The program incorporates key attributes from the American Nurses Association (ANA) Scopes and Standards of Practices. Aside from this, the program features attributes from the Alliance for Nursing Informatics and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of Masters Education for Advanced Practice Nursing.
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is found in Greenville, North Carolina. Founded in 1907, East Carolina University has grown from a teacher training school into a diverse university offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Featuring a wide array of disciplines, the university focuses on enhancing society by producing top-tier graduates. As with most universities, admission requirements are high. Applicants are expected to meet a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Master of Science in Health Informatics and Information Management
Through available informatics technologies, students are enabled to evaluate healthcare systems for effectiveness. By using learned theories to study and analyze available healthcare information structures, program participants are expected to enhance or improve healthcare systems and delivery.
The program requires students to complete a minimum of 39 credit hours. During this period, participants of the program are taught to create key strategies for analyzing, modifying, enhancing, and introducing healthcare systems. Students can look forward to exploring the program’s coursework, which is as follows:
- Introduction to electronic healthcare records (EHRs)
- Fundamentals of health informatics evaluation methods
- Understanding healthcare data management
- The essentials of electronic healthcare information systems
- Learning about healthcare decision support
- Foundations of healthcare information privacy and security
- Understanding healthcare data analytics
- Project design and management of healthcare informatics
- Organizational and social issues affecting healthcare informatics
Aside from these topics, students are expected to have internships in health informatics, as well as in information management. Given that the program accepts students without professional experience related to healthcare, they are required to take up an introductory course in healthcare issues and problems.
However, students need not worry because this course can be taken concurrently with the program. Participants are expected to complete a comprehensive assessment prior to graduation. The evaluation is done through an extensive examination that will test the student’s knowledge and skills.
Expected Salaries for MS Nursing Informatics Degree Holders in North Carolina
Nursing informaticians in North Carolina can expect to earn an average of $90,990. The lower salary range is around $70,357, whereas the high-earning professionals rake in around $114,489. Those with a Master’s degree earn higher, although the exact amount depends highly on specialty, experience, employer, and the exact work location in North Carolina.
There are nursing shortages all over the United States, and North Carolina is among the top states with a large gap of nursing professionals. The shortage can be attributed to recent health issues that have seen an unusually high increase in hospital admissions due to infections.
Aside from this, healthcare providers, such as nurses, have to contend with administrative medical work. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a dramatic increase of six percent in healthcare and information technology work opportunities through 2031.
According to a recent study, North Carolina will need over 13,000 nurses by 2026. This can be attributed to healthcare workers leaving their jobs due to work exhaustion and stress. As telemedicine and teleconsulting have become the standard for many patients, nurses skilled in healthcare informatics are even more in demand.
In short, nursing informaticians are the bridges that tie healthcare with technology. It can even be subject to speculation that eventually, the healthcare industry will become heavily reliant on nursing informaticians.
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