PROGRAM FOCUS & RESIDENCY
I’ve selected Clinical Information Systems as my program focus with specialization towards health care apps and/or electronic health records (including EHR documentation and clinical decision support development). To meet national health care priorities and the demand for technological advances defined by the HITECH Act, the job market for informatics specialists will continue to expand. Nurse informaticists will always be in high demand as they play an integral role in the implementation and use of these technologies and systems. My experience as a registered nurse has given me the opportunity to provide knowledge in the process of incorporating technology into patient care. I know and understand nursing workflows and have experienced both the benefits of an efficient EHR system as well as the negative constraints of a poorly designed system. I joined the Informatics program with the desire to improve these information systems from the clinician perspective to create better workflows and increase quality of patient care.
As an informaticist, I would like to gain experience in a hospital system where I would be able to learn from other nurse analysts and interact with end-users to evaluate the outcomes of EHR implementations. UC San Diego Health is widely recognized as both an academic teaching hospital as well as a premier healthcare system and my goal is to begin a residency placement at any of their institutions.
As an informaticist, I would like to gain experience in a hospital system where I would be able to learn from other nurse analysts and interact with end-users to evaluate the outcomes of EHR implementations. UC San Diego Health is widely recognized as both an academic teaching hospital as well as a premier healthcare system and my goal is to begin a residency placement at any of their institutions.
POST-GRADUATION GOALS
With the formal training provided by the University of San Diego, my goal is to successfully transition into a nurse informaticist either at the place of my residency or at another institution in the greater San Diego area. While my initial search would include hospitals close to my current place of residence, I wouldn’t mind traveling for nurse informatics opportunities. I look forward to applying my education and clinical experience to ensure that systems are working efficiently for clinicians so as to improve their workflows and allow them more time at the bedside. When seeking employment, my focus will be on positions with heavy involvement in providing end-user requirements to the health IT team.
Other areas I am considering pursuing extra training in include project management and/or business processes. Project management is a critical skill for any nurse informaticist, and my long-term goal is to utilize this skill in a prominent role developing and implementing clinical information systems. I would like to learn more about the iterative unified process methodologies, related systems analysis and project leadership skills, and the phases of the project management process.
Other areas I am considering pursuing extra training in include project management and/or business processes. Project management is a critical skill for any nurse informaticist, and my long-term goal is to utilize this skill in a prominent role developing and implementing clinical information systems. I would like to learn more about the iterative unified process methodologies, related systems analysis and project leadership skills, and the phases of the project management process.