Advancing your Informatics Career...
During the summer of 2014, I finally committed to taking the informatics nurse board certification exam.
I did not know how to approach studying for it nor how it would go but I was tired of putting it off and knew if I did not do it soon, it would continue to get put off.
While I had my PhD in nursing informatics from Duke, I knew that I was still missing that third party validation of my knowledge that could be assessed by clients, customers, and colleagues. I did not want there to be any question that my knowledge, experience, expertise, and approaches to health IT projects and practice was comprehensive, thorough, and valuable to others.
Unfortunately, there have been many times where I have been asked, "what is informatics?" and "what do informatics nurses do?". Those are times when I reflect on their questions and recognize that more clarity is needed to our roles and capabilities.
One way to demonstrate your capabilities, expertise, and knowledge is to obtain a board certification in the speciality practice of informatics nursing.
To obtain board certification, one must meet the eligibility criteria set forward by ANCC, register, take, and pass the exam provided by a third party.
Every informatics nurse in the United States that pursues board certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center takes their test.
As a result, this exam provides a type of criterion for you in your career pursuits and employers in their evaluation of candidates.
Such an evaluation metric may be the only, or one of the only ones, currently available to demonstrate your capabilities that can be equivalently evaluated amongst others seeking similar roles, positions, promotions and/or more.
For me, I went and took my exam that summer and fortunately did pass but after taking the exam, I knew I could have done a LOT more to prepare.
When putting the Nursing Informatics Certification Exam Review (NICER) program together, I reflected on my experience, and how I could help others be and feel far more prepared for their exam.
I reflected on the approach, the content to include, books and resources to provide to supplement, strategies to approach test questions and offering test questions that could support the strategies as well as serve as additional learning tools.
My goal has been to give the most support and guidance possible to each of you who choose the NICER program to prepare for your informatics nurse board certification exam.
The HIMSS National Nursing Informatics Workforce Survey in 2020, reported on some aspects of board certification. One finding was that over 50% of informatics nurses are in a new role within a year of certification! Additionally, board certified informatics nurses tend to report higher salaries.
Once you are board certified, that certification is active for 5 years and does not require testing again!
As we've supported hundreds of informatics nurses across the country, the most exciting part is hearing from past participants when they have passed their exam. While not a requirement, it is so appreciated as I am just as excited for them as they are for themselves.
If you'd like to learn more about, take a look on our website regarding the NICER program: icarenursingsolutions.com.
I'll be holding several LIVE webinars in the coming days and it is free to join with several dates to choose from here. Very soon, the last offering of the NICER Program for 2022 will be open for enrollment. Stay tuned for those dates.
Have a lovely Friday,
~Tiffany
Tiffany Kelley PhD MBA RN-BC
Founder & CEO iCare Nursing Solutions