IT Skills all Nurses should Have

June 19th, 2015

There’s no denying the importance of technology within the healthcare industry. It is vital that nurses and other medical professionals stay up to speed with the latest IT innovations related to their job.

If you work in the nursing profession, honing your information technology skills are an important part of a successful career. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some IT skills all nurses need to possess in their tool box.

Experience with a Variety of Records Systems is a Must

As the medical industry continues in its migration towards 100 percent usage of electronic record keeping, it is important that nurses become well-versed in the variety of record systems used in the industry. This also includes the data analysis and reporting techniques helping to derive relevant and actionable information from stored patient data.

The Growing Importance of Nursing Informatics

The added emphasis on the development of information technology skills in nursing has led to a new career specialization called nursing informatics. As hinted at in its name, nursing informatics is a hybrid discipline, combining skills from both nursing and information technology. Although the American Nursing Association first defined the term in 1992, this area of nursing has seen rapid growth over the last 10 years.

The development of IT systems related to clinical documentation, electronic medical records (EMR), and electronic health records (EHR) is a major area of responsibility of informatics nurses. If you are an experienced nurse with an affinity for computers and IT, consider moving into a nursing informatics role in the future.

Integration of Medical Records Systems remains Vital

One of the ways IT-savvy nurses can make a valuable difference in today’s healthcare industry is by helping to understand the challenges involved with integrating data records between the variety of EMR and EHR systems currently in use. Understanding how data is organized is a great skill to help with this process.

If you are interested in supercharging your nursing career by emphasizing on information technology, talk to the industry experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the top healthcare staffing agencies in the country, we understand how IT makes a difference in the field and can help ensure you have the right skills to succeed. Meet with us at your earliest convenience.

© Year Pinnacle Workforce. All Rights Reserved. Site Credits.