The DNP informatics nurse fills a specialty role that has emerged due to the changing demands of our nation’s healthcare system. Both the increasing complexity of patient care and concerns about quality and safety have served as catalysts for increased enrollment into DNP programs. The National Institute of Health reported that DNP programs in health informatics may lead to “significant transformational change” in healthcare and may encourage the development of a stronger population of CNIOs in healthcare settings. Educational requirements for chief nursing informatics positions are changing. While the baseline for these leadership roles have long been the master’s degree, more professionals are now pursuing the DNP as a way to prepare for roles in which they would as stewards of healthcare data, information, and knowledge. The Doctor of Nursing Practice builds on master’s level curriculum, and focuses on:
- Project management
- System development life cycle
- Nursing terminologies
- Database and technology
- Knowledge management
- Decision support systems
- Related technology courses
- Lead the process of selecting and implementing IT products
- Become well-versed in the activities of the system’s lifecycle
- Understand the current literature on informatics implementation and outcomes
- Learn how to use informatics tools to manage and analyze data needed for knowledge discovery
