If you are a nurse and you want to improve your ability to provide effective care to your patients, a degree in nursing informatics might be for you.
Nursing informatics exists at the intersection of nursing and analytical science. This field seeks to identify useful patient data, define and manage it, and use it to inform better nursing practices.
Not only does nursing informatics benefit individual patients by directing improved and targeted care, but it also helps healthcare systems as a whole be more productive and efficient.
This field is growing quickly, which explains why there are so many nursing informatics programs nationwide – including in Texas.
If you have your heart set on studying nursing informatics in Texas, you might consider one of the schools on this list of some of the most popular options in the Lone Star State.
Nursing Informatics Programs in Texas
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering nursing informatics programs in Texas:
- University of Texas – Tyler
- Texas Tech University
- University of Texas
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
- Wake Forest University
- South University
- Grand Canyon University
University of Texas (UT) – Tyler
School Information
The University of Texas – Tyler was founded a little more than 50 years ago. Its location midway between Dallas and Shreveport, Louisiana, gives students in east Texas access to an excellent education in the renowned University of Texas System.
And while UT Tyler is part of one of the largest university systems in the nation, its intimate campus, small class sizes, and dedicated faculty ensure you get the individual attention you need to succeed.
UT Tyler is a public, co-educational doctoral-granting institution. You can choose from nearly 50 undergraduate degrees, more than 30 graduate programs, and half a dozen doctoral programs.
No matter your course of study, you can depend on expert instruction from your professors. However, one of UT Tyler’s most prestigious programs is nursing, from which nearly 90 percent of graduates pass the state nursing licensure exam.
Nursing Informatics Program Information
The Master of Science in Nursing Informatics from UT Tyler focuses specifically on Quality & Safety (MSN-IQS). That is, the program prepares nurses and other clinicians to use information systems to analyze data in order to bring about quality improvement in patient care.
The competency-based curriculum requires the completion of 36 credit hours to graduate. This includes up to nine transfer credits. Coursework varies and includes classes like:
- Translational Science
- Data Analysis
- Applied Informatics
- Organizational Systems Leadership
- Information Systems Life Cycle
Additionally, this program requires you to complete a capstone research project that addresses an important question or issue in nursing informatics. You must also choose three elective courses to round out the curriculum.
UT Tyler’s curriculum is aligned with the ANCC Test Plan for Board Certification in this field. Likewise, your coursework prepares you for HIMSS CAHIMS certification, AACN Essentials competency, and competency in Quality and Safety Education for Nurses as well.
You can apply to this program by following these steps:
- Apply to UT Tyler
- Submit official transcripts (you must already have a BSN from an accredited college or university)
- Submit nursing documents, including a resume or curriculum vitae and proof of current licensure as an RN
- Submit three letters of reference
Texas Tech University (TTU)
School Information
When Texas Tech University opened in 1925, it went by another name – Texas Technological College. Back then, the school was extremely small – less than 1,000 students were on campus. Today, though, TTU has become a large public, non-profit university with more than 40,000 students enrolled.
As a student at TTU, you can choose from degrees and programs in more than a dozen academic colleges. With more than 150 bachelor’s degree programs, over 100 degrees for graduate students, and 50 programs for doctoral students, TTU has a program to fit your academic needs and future career goals. This includes a nursing informatics program at TTU’s Health Sciences Center that can help you take your career to the next level.
Nursing Informatics Program Information
The Master of Science in Nursing – Informatics at Texas Tech is a 36-credit program requiring about two years of full-time study. This is a hybrid program, with coursework offered online. However, periodic trips to TTU’s campus in Lubbock are required for immersion work and field experiences that evaluate your competency of the curriculum.
This degree requires you to complete a 12-credit course load of core studies. These classes include:
- Scientific Foundations of Advanced Practice Nursing
- Leadership for Healthcare
- Informatics, Quality, and Safety
- Population Health: Essentials for Advanced Nursing Practice
Additionally, you must take specialty courses that hone your skills in specific areas of nursing informatics. For example, you will take courses in project management, finance, and, of course, informatics.
If you already have a Master of Science in Nursing, you can alternatively pursue TTU’s Post-Master’s Nursing Informatics Certificate. This year-long program enables you to gain the critical nursing informatics skills presented in the graduate program without completing as many courses.
As a graduate of this program, you will be eligible to sit for the ANCC’s board certification and the HIMSS CPHIMS exam.
To apply, you must have a BSN and a valid unencumbered RN license. Likewise, you must:
- Have at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
- Submit a personal essay
- Submit official undergraduate transcripts
- Pass a computer literacy exam
University of Texas (UT) – Austin
School Information
The University of Texas – Austin is known for a lot of things. It’s the flagship school in the University of Texas system. It’s one of the biggest universities in the nation, with almost 52,000 students. And it has well-respected and highly-ranked academic programs. This includes a Department of Nursing that ranks in the top 25 in the nation for its Master of Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs.
UT Austin was founded in 1883 and, in the ensuing years, has established itself as one of the best schools in Texas, the nation, and the world. In fact, UT Austin ranks in the top 50 global universities. The school also ranks 33rd in world university rankings and 31st in world reputation rankings. Many of the university’s programs – which are offered in 18 schools and colleges – are highly ranked as well.
Nursing Informatics Program Information
If you already have a graduate degree or are currently enrolled in a graduate program, you can expand your learning by completing UT Austin’s Health Informatics Certificate Program. This program is designed for students from any discipline, though nursing, informatics, and other healthcare or analytics disciplines are especially helpful.
This graduate certificate requires you to complete 12 credits of coursework over four semesters (one course per semester). The four courses include:
- Health Informatics
- Practicum in Health Informatics
- Two elective courses of your choosing
The practicum must be the final course you take in the sequence. You can choose between completing a Master Report or a hands-on Professional Experience Project to fulfill the practicum requirement.
The two elective courses must be chosen from the following:
- Consumer Health Informatics
- Informatics for Healthcare Professionals
- Health Information Systems
- Human-Computer Interaction in Healthcare
These classes are taken via UT Austin’s School of Information and School of Nursing. The combination of these schools ensures you develop the requisite skills needed to advance the field of healthcare using data-driven outcomes.
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
School Information
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center is an academic institution focusing on medical education, scientific training, and clinical training. The Medical Center confers degrees through four institutions: UT Southwestern Medical School, UT Southwestern School of Health Professions, UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and UT Southwestern School of Public Health.
The Medical Center is a sprawling institution, yet it has a small enrollment of less than 4,000. With a diverse and well-qualified faculty and the backing of federal agencies like the National Institutes of Health, the UT Southwestern Medical Center offers a high-quality education that prepares you to be at the top of your chosen healthcare career field.
Nursing Informatics Program Information
The Master of Science in Health Informatics from the UT Southwestern Medical Center is not a nursing-specific program. Instead, the curriculum teaches you how to analyze patient data and use that information to enhance the ability of clinicians to provide care.
Likewise, the skills you learn can be used to directly impact the patient experience by providing insights and knowledge about care processes.
This 36-credit program can be completed in two years of full-time study or 2.5 years of part-time study. The curriculum includes a wide range of topics that prepare you for a career in health informatics. Required courses include, but are not limited to:
- The U.S. Healthcare System
- Evidence-Based Medicine and Clinical Decision Support
- Biomedical and Basic Science Informatics
- Health Information Management
- Ethics in Clinical Informatics
Moreover, the curriculum includes a practicum component in which you create an experience in healthcare information technology. The practicum can be completed in various locations, including healthcare IT start-ups, operational teams, and technology companies.
A five-credit capstone project is also required for graduation. The capstone project allows you to combine your academic coursework with work experience to reflect on your learning and your ability to implement health informatics in the workplace.
You can apply to this program, provided you have or are in the process of completing a bachelor’s degree program. Additionally, you must submit the following:
- An online application
- Unofficial undergraduate transcripts
- Three letters of recommendation
- GRE scores (though this is an optional component)
- Personal statement
Nursing Informatics Work Opportunities in Texas
Texas is a big state with a rapidly increasing population. That means that work opportunities – especially in healthcare – are abundant. After all, everyone needs healthcare at some point in their lives, and you can find opportunities to assist Texans with those healthcare needs with an education in nursing informatics.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston areas are among the areas with the highest employment of registered nurses in the United States. In fact, Dallas-Fort Worth ranks sixth in the nation for nursing jobs while Houston ranks seventh.
Even if you don’t seek employment in one of Texas’ many metro areas, rural Texas has plentiful opportunities to work in this field. Many nurse informaticists work in healthcare systems like hospitals. You can also work for local, state, or federal agencies in Texas, ambulatory health services, or private nursing facilities, to name a few. These organizations are scattered throughout Texas in cities big and small.
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