Nursing Informatics Programs in Tennessee
When you think of Tennessee, you likely think of rolling hills, the Great Smoky Mountains, and the music scene in Nashville. But Tennessee offers much more than that – especially for college students.
As a student in search of a nursing informatics program, Tennessee is a great place to get your education. The state has dozens of colleges, universities, community colleges, and colleges of applied technology. These institutions range from small to large, private to public.
And, unlike some states, Tennessee has a large selection of nursing programs, including those with a nursing informatics or health informatics focus. Below are four examples you might consider as the next part of your education.
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University was founded in 1873 and named for steel magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who supplied $1 million to establish the school. As one of the premier private research institutions in the nation, Vanderbilt has a long track record of academic success and achievement. Today, the university ranks thirteenth in the nation, according to US News & World Report.
Though Vanderbilt has name recognition from coast to coast, it’s a relatively small school with around 13,500 students. Yet, the programs and amenities for students are on par with some of the largest universities in the nation.
For example, there are more than two dozen fraternities and sororities on campus, plus more than 500 clubs and organizations. And with ten colleges and schools that offer thousands of courses, you study virtually any subject you like.
Nursing Informatics Program Information
The Master of Science in Nursing from the Vanderbilt School of Nursing is a two-year, part-time program that provides you with foundational and contemporary instruction in informatics. The program is designed for RNs, so you can immediately use what you learn in the program in your specific workplace.
This modified online program allows you to take coursework online while still getting the appropriate clinical experiences you need to be a competent nurse informaticist. Some of the classes you will take include:
- Designing, Planning, and Managing Informatics Training and Education
- Applied Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
- Foundations of Leadership
- Fundamentals of Nursing Informatics
- Theories, Frameworks, and Models Supporting Informatics
The clinical practicum is divided into two experiences, one during the spring semester of the program’s second year and another during the summer semester of the second year. The practicum experiences can be done at an approved site in your hometown to minimize your need to travel.
To apply, you must complete an online application and submit the following documentation:
- Official undergraduate transcripts from all institutions
- A statement of purpose
- Three letters of recommendation
Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU)
Middle Tennessee State University was founded in 1911. Back then, it was Middle Tennessee State Normal School – an institution to educate future teachers. Today, though, MTSU is a large public, co-ed university with around 22,000 students. As a student at MTSU, you can choose from hundreds of degree programs, including many at the graduate and doctoral levels.
Middle Tennessee State is known as a highly affordable school. In fact, the university offers the cheapest tuition rates of any major school in the state. This is partly due to the wide variety of financial aid programs and awards available to MTSU students. But, MTSU is also popular because of its academic programs. The university ranks among the top 156 public schools in the nation and is among the top 300 national universities as well.
Nursing Informatics Program Information
Middle Tennessee State University offers a Master of Science in Professional Science, enabling you to specialize in Healthcare Informatics. This STEM program blends studies in the sciences, technology, engineering, and math.
Unlike other programs on this list, MTSU’s informatics degree does not require that you have a nursing degree or any nursing experience. Instead, you will gain the needed skills and experience to be a change leader in the healthcare industry by focusing on coursework like:
- Accounting and Legal Issues for Managers
- IT Applications for Decision Making
- Topics in Contemporary Health Care Informatics
- Probabilistic and Statistical Reasoning
- Legal Aspects of Healthcare
Furthermore, you can extend your studies with elective coursework in communication, accounting, statistics, and many other informatics and STEM-related areas. This includes the opportunity to complete a capstone internship that provides you with real-world experience in the field.
This 36-credit program is only available on campus but is offered as a full-time or part-time program. To apply, you must first complete an online application for admission. Additionally, you must:
- Submit official college transcripts from each institution you’ve attended
- Provide three letters of recommendation
- Have an undergraduate or graduate degree in a related field
- Have at least intermediate proficiency with technologies like word processing programs, statistical analysis packages, and data management tools
University of Tennessee at Knoxville
The University of Tennessee at Knoxville was founded in 1794 – two years before Tennessee was granted statehood. Back then, the school was known as Blount College. Over the years, the school changed locations and names, and at one point was closed for 11 years, but in 1879, the name University of Tennessee was applied, and it’s stuck ever since.
Today, UT Knoxville is the flagship institution in the University of Tennessee System. The school has 11 colleges offering more than 900 programs, more than half of which are at the graduate level. With nearly 34,000 students, UT Knoxville is the largest university in the state by a wide margin.
Nursing Informatics Program Information
The Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics from UT Knoxville is an online program that requires just 12 credits to complete. Most students finish the graduation requirements in one or two semesters.
Since you learn online, you get the advantage of added flexibility for studying when it’s convenient for your schedule. You get easy access to course materials throughout the program while also being able to connect online with other learners and your professors.
This program was designed with an interdisciplinary focus in mind. In fact, members of the School of Information Sciences, College of Nursing, and Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering had a hand in its development.
You will take a variety of courses that include:
- Introduction to Health Informatics
- Database Management Systems
- Healthcare Information Architecture & Security
- Decision Support & Electronic Health Records
This program is open to any student with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. You can enroll as a post-baccalaureate student, a graduate student, or a doctoral or postdoctoral student.
University of Memphis
Founded in 1912 as the West Tennessee State Normal School, the University of Memphis quickly grew to expand its offerings to many academic areas. Today, it’s a doctoral-granting public university with well over 20,000 students. The university’s location in Memphis makes it a highly desirable place to study. The city’s vibrant nightlife, affordability, and easy access to recreational opportunities are just a few benefits of studying at UM.
As a Memphis undergraduate student, you can explore more than 250 degrees and programs of study. If you already have a bachelor’s degree, Memphis offers more than 50 graduate programs. The school also has more than two dozen specialist and doctoral programs if you wish to pursue an even higher level of education.
Nursing Informatics Program Information
The Master in Biostatistics with a concentration in Data Science in Public Health teaches you how to utilize biostatistics data and machine learning to analyze biomedical research data. While this degree doesn’t prepare you for clinical work, it does equip you to make a positive impact on public health issues like cancer, infectious diseases, and mental health.
This interdisciplinary program requires that you complete 36 credits of graduate studies in several areas, including biostatistics and computer science. You will take courses like:
- Biostatistics Methods
- Applied Categorical Data Analysis
- Machine Learning
- Data Management
- Epidemiology in Public Health
You must also choose between an exam track or a thesis track. If you choose the former, you must pass a comprehensive examination prior to graduation. On the other hand, the thesis track requires you to complete an independent research paper and defense before getting your degree.
As a graduate of this program, you can pursue many different careers. This includes working in the health insurance industry, for pharmaceutical companies, or government agencies like the National Institutes of Health, to name a few.
For admission, you must first fill out an online application and submit the following:
- Official transcripts from each college or university you’ve attended (you must also have a minimum GPA of 3.0)
- Two letters of recommendation
- A resume or curriculum vitae
- A personal statement or statement of purpose
Nursing Informatics Work Opportunities in Tennessee
The job opportunities available to you as a graduate of a nursing informatics or health informatics program are very broad. As noted earlier, you can work for an insurance company, a government agency, or a pharmaceutical company in Tennessee.
Other options are available, though. For example, some private organizations and nonprofits hire informaticists to assist with directing healthcare advocacy campaigns for underserved populations. Many hospitals in Tennessee also need informaticists to assist clinical workers and management in devising improved services for patients.
Likewise, different types of jobs exist in these fields. For example, with a basic education in informatics, you might work as a health informatics specialist, which acts as a go-between for clinical and managerial staff in a healthcare setting. But with additional training and experience, you might find managerial positions where you can guide data-driven healthcare programs.
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