1. 2017 Nursing Informatics Workforce Survey
February 2017

2. About
Since 2004, HIMSS has surveyed the nursing informatics community to gain an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the informatics nurse professional. 
This survey captures current professional status and practice trends while identifying changes that have occurred over the last 13 years in the nursing informatics workforce.

3. Nursing Informatics Defined
Nursing informatics (NI) is the specialty that integrates nursing science with multiple information and analytical sciences to identify, define, manage, and communicate data, information, knowledge, and wisdom in nursing practice. NI supports nurses, consumers, patients, the interprofessional healthcare team, and other stakeholders in their decision-making in all roles and settings to achieve desired outcomes. This support is accomplished through the use of information structures, information processes, and information technology
- Nursing Informatics: Scope and Standards of Practice, nd Edition, ANA 2015

4. Number of Respondents
A total of 1,279 valid responses were received and will be covered in the following analysis.
In contrast, the 2007 survey received a total of 660 useable responses.

5. Collaborating Organizations
Alliance for Nursing Informatics (ANI)
American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA)
American Nursing Informatics Association (ANIA)
American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE)
Association of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Nurses (APGNN)
Association of Peri Operative Registered Nurses (AORN)
National Council State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
Society of Gastroenterology Nurses & Associates (SGNA)

6. Key Takeaways Education Nursing and Informatics Background
57% of respondents have a post-graduate degree
41% of respondents planned to pursue additional informatics education and training
Increase of almost 3 percentage points between the 2014 and 2017 in the number of respondents who had obtained a post-graduate degree in nursing informatics or other informatics
49% hold some type of certification
51% of respondents indicated that they would be pursuing some type of certification within the next year
Nursing and Informatics Background
50% work at a Magnet designated hospital, a 9 percentage point increase from 2014
Those with 1 to 5 years of clinical bedside experience decreased from 20% in 2014 to 16% in 2017
Perhaps suggesting that even as hospitals move from the EHR implementation phase, nurses are continuing in their informatics roles.

7. Key Takeaways On-the-job
46% of respondents indicated a salary of over $100,000
Increases from 2014 in the number of respondents in each salary range over $100,000
58% of respondents indicated that they were satisfied or highly satisfied with their current position
Majority of respondents (80%) were also satisfied or highly satisfied with their career choice in informatics
Respondents seemed to be quite satisfied with their choice of career in informatics but not as satisfied with the current position they hold.
64% of respondents do not have a supervisory role and there are no individuals who report to them, a decrease from 67% in 2014
Respondents’ roles may be over larger departments or departments which are adding staff
Job responsibilities continue to include systems implementation and utilization/optimization. While systems development is still in the top three job responsibilities, the percent working in this area decreased from 38% in 2014 to 31% in 2017
Lack of administrative support as a top barrier increased from 17% in 2014 to 21% in 2017
While lack of administrative support and a lack of staffing resources were the primary barriers faced over the last two surveys, there has been a shift in the identified barriers to success as a nurse informaticist. In 2004 and 2007, the lack of financial resources was the top barrier while in 2011 it was the lack of integration and interoperability.

8. Top Respondent Titles

9. Workplace
* New selection option for 2017 survey

10. Workplace Type
New Question for 2017 survey

11. Hospital Magnet Status

12. Geographic Region

13. Advanced Practice Registered Nurse

14. Nursing Experience

15. Years of Clinical Experience

16. Years of Informatics Experience

17. Years in Current Position

18. Percent of Time Spent on Clinical Activities

19. Nursing Education
Selection options expanded for 2017 survey. Added Master’s in Nursing Informatics, Master’s in Other Informatics and PhD in Nursing Informatics

20. Post-Graduate Nursing Education 2007 Compared to 2017
Selection options expanded for 2017 survey. Added Master’s in Nursing Informatics, Master’s in Other Informatics and PhD in Nursing Informatics

21. Prior Informatics Education/Training

22. Prior Informatics Education/Training On-the-Job Training Only

23. Current Informatics Education/Training

24. Certification Held

25. Certification and Degree Level

26. New Role with Greater Responsibility Since Becoming Certified
New Survey Question added to 2017.

27. Perceived Value in Holding Certification
Percentage of respondents with certification

28. Impact of Certification to Career Path
Average
4.96
New Survey Question added to Respondents asked to use a scale of one to seven, where one is not at all impactful and seven is highly impactful.

29. Time Frame Role Changed After Achieving Certification
New Survey Question added to 2017.

30. Nursing Informatics Certification Pursuing

31. Top Barrier to Certification

32. Department to Which You Report

33. Total Number of Reports (direct & indirect)

34. Senior Nursing Informatics Executive (CNIO) at Organization

35. Reporting Structure for Senior NI Executive
2014 study allowed respondents to select more than one as compared to 2017 which allowed one selection

36. Job Responsibilities

37. Applications Currently Developing/Implementing/Optimizing

38. Application Experience (Background)

39. Top Barrier to Success as a Nurse Informaticist
Percent of respondents who rated option as the top/largest barrier.

40. Job Satisfaction in Current Position
2017 Average
5.5
2014 Average
5.4
Respondents asked to use a scale of one to seven, where one is not at all satisfied and seven is highly satisfied.

41. Job Satisfaction in Informatics Career Choice
2017 Average
6.2
2014 Average
6.2
Respondents asked to use a scale of one to seven, where one is not at all satisfied and seven is highly satisfied.

42. Sources of Information for Day-to-Day Activities
* New selection option for 2017 survey

43. Types of Sources of Information for Day-to-Day Activities
Selection options expanded for 2014 survey. Note Percentages greater than 100 because respondents can select more than one option.

44. Sources of Information for Continuing Education

45. Benefits and Non-Salary Compensation

46. Salary Range
Question asked for salary range only starting in 2017

47. Salary Range & Certification
Question asked for salary range only starting in 2017

48. Salary Range & Education
Question asked for salary range only starting in 2017

49. Download the Survey Results