2007 HIMSS Nursing Informatics Survey Results Released

[rnformatics]

The results of the 2007 HIMSS Nursing Informatics Survey (sponsored by McKesson) have been released:

From the Executive Summary:

2007 HIMSS Nursing Informatics Survey

Sponsored by McKesson

Supported by the HIMSS Nursing Informatics Community

Executive Summary

The 2007 HIMSS Nursing Informatics Survey, supported by the HIMSS Nursing Informatics Committee and sponsored by McKesson builds on research that HIMSS conducted in 2004. The 2004 research suggested that nurse informaticists played a critical role in the implementation of clinical information and documentation systems. The data from the 2007 results validate these results and suggest that while nurse informaticists continue to play an important role in the installation of nursing applications, they are also playing an increasingly important role in the installation of all clinical applications.

Other key survey findings and comparisons to 2004 include:

Respondents: The majority of the 776 nurse informaticists who participated in this research continue to work in a hospital setting—54 percent work at a hospital and another 16 percent work at the corporate offices of a healthcare system.

Clinical Background: In both 2004 and 2007, approximately half of the respondents indicated that they had at least 16 years of clinical experience prior to beginning their informatics career. Half of the respondents reported that at least part of their background was derived from working on a med/surg floor; 43 percent reported having previous experience in the ICU.

Informatics Training: Respondents to the 2007 survey (34 percent) were more likely than those in the 2004 survey (21 percent) to report that they have formal informatics training. Further, another 12 percent of respondents are presently enrolled in a program that will confer a certificate or degree upon completion. The increased number of individuals enrolled in formal programs is a direct reflection of the recognition by both the industry and academia of the importance of nursing informatics as a nursing specialty.

Duration of Informatics Career: As expected, nurse informaticists in the 2007 survey have had longer careers than those who reported to the 2004 survey. One-third of respondents report that they have been a nurse informaticist for at least ten years; another quarter have moved into the field in the past two years. As in 2004, the majority of nurse informaticists devote all of their time to informatics, spending little or no time on clinical activities.

Job Responsibilities: While an equal number of respondents in the 2004 and 2007 survey do not have individuals reporting to them, respondents in 2007 tend to be responsible for managing more individuals than were the 2004 respondents. In 2004, respondents identified systems implementation, systems development and coordination/administration of activities as their top three job responsibilities. This has remained unchanged in 2007.

Barriers to Success: The past three years have not resulted in a change in the largest barrier to the success of nurse informaticists. Respondents in both 2004 and 2007 were most likely to identify availability of financial resources as a top barrier to their success as a nurse informaticst.

Information: Over the course of both surveys, nurse informaticists were most likely to report that Web sites and the Internet are the resources most valuable for carrying out their day-to-day job activities. Other frequently identified sources include list serves and journals. As in 2004, the nurse informaticists responding to this year’s survey were most likely to identify national conferences as the primary means by which they meet their continuing education requirements.

Compensation and Benefits: The average salary of 2007 respondents is $83,675; compared to $69,500 in the 2004 survey, demonstrating the increasing maturity and value of the specialty. Only three percent of respondents indicate that their salary is not augmented by other benefits. The benefits most frequently identified are medical/dental insurance, retirement savings plans and life insurance.

Future Vision: The survey responses reveal that nurse informaticists believe their field has a bright future. They believe that nursing informaticists will continue to have an impact on the organization’s decision making process, positively impact the implementation of EHRs and ultimately have an impact on improved patient care. In the words of one respondent, “Nursing informatics is the leading edge solution that can positively impact the delivery of state of the art healthcare, lower its cost and dramatically improve patient safety across the entire industry.”

Survey respondents see the informatics field as being one with a bright future that will have a substantial role in the way in which decisions about how clinical software will be implemented and utilized within healthcare organizations. The maturity of this field is reflected in many ways, including a substantial increase in salaries, frequency of job promotions, additional opportunities for formal education and additional staff responsibilities that these respondents have taken on.

The full report can be accessed on both the HIMSS (www.himss.org) and McKesson (www.mckesson.com) websites.

For more information, contact:

HIMSS
Joyce Lofstrom
jlofstrom@himss.org
312-915-9237

McKesson Provider Technologies
Michele Norton, MS, RN INS Nursing Informatics
michele.norton@mckesson.com
727-815-7710

View the 2007 HIMSS Nursing Informatics Survey Executive Summary (PDF)

View the 2007 HIMSS Nursing Informatics Survey Full Report (PDF)