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Nursing Informatics Simplified

Nursing informatics is a career path for people interested in creating computer systems for use in hospitals and health care offices. If you have a passion for both computer programming and helping people, this might be the career for you.

What Exactly Does a Nursing Informatic Do?

Typically, a nursing informatic will spend a couple of months working on a project. First, he works with a team to help design a new system. For example, the team might design a system for tracking repeat emergency room visitors. During this stage, the informatic collects data to assist the design team. He might compile statistics on how many repeat visitors emergency room personnel see or take surveys to find out why repeat visitors are a concern. Then, the informatic and the team use the data to design a computer program. The informatic offers input on program features the facility needs and how to make the program as user-friendly as possible. Next, the informatic helps test the program in the health care setting and performs necessary changes. Finally, he sets up the system and helps train staff.

Not all nursing informatics perform the same functions. This relatively new career covers any kind of interaction between nurses and data systems. Even if programming isn’t your forte, you might be interested in this field. Some nursing informatics do no programming at all. Rather, they communicate with nursing staff and programming experts to ensure hospitals receive the most effective system possible. Others are involved in entering data into new systems or purchasing updated software. Basically, if changing the way a hospital uses computers is the goal, a nursing informatic will be involved.

Does Informatics Require a College Degree?

If you’re interested in this career path, you’ll need a four-year degree in informatics with an emphasis on health care. Informatics classes cover general information technology; you can train to be a computer specialist in one of a wide variety of fields. Most programs allow you to wait a year or two to decide your specialty, but if you’re sure you want to work in the health care industry, you should start taking classes in this specialty as soon as possible. That way you’ll have the maximum amount of time to study both health care and information technology. Once you finish your program, you’ll be qualified to work as an informatic in hospital and private health care settings.

If you’ve already become a licensed nurse but you want to enjoy the better nurse informatics salary, try out a new career path, informatics may also be for you. You may not have to take as many health care courses as your peers since you already have field experience. You may even be able to get tuition reimbursement from your employer for taking courses related to your job.

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Is a Career in Child Therapy Right for You?

People who love helping children may consider becoming a child therapist. Two different types of therapists can help children grow up to be healthy adults. Pediatric physical therapists help children who need to strengthen their bodies. Child psychologists help children regain emotional and mental health.

The Pediatric Physical Therapist

Pediatric physical therapists have highly rewarding jobs. When surgery or accidents have affected children’s muscular or skeletal systems, these dedicated medical workers help them in regaining use of their bodies. Pediatric physical therapists also work with children with physical disabilities or handicaps by helping them gain as much independence as possible and avoid regression.

This type of therapy is challenging because often children cannot communicate as well as an adults or they may not cooperate with painful or difficult exercises. Therefore a child physical therapist must not only love children, but want and be able to help them in a patient, calm, and kind way.

To become a pediatric physical therapist, or Doctor of Physical Therapy, one must study for three years in addition to completing the bachelor’s degree — a total of seven years of study. Some physical therapists get a master’s degree, with only two more years of schooling beyond completing the bachelor’s degree. Despite the many years of schooling required, salaries are averaging only about $73,000 a year, although child therapist salaries start at about $52,000.Many expect the salaries of these professionals to increase because there are more children in need of services.

The Child Psychologist

Child psychologists are usually one of two types: clinical and counseling. A clinical psychologist works with children who experience mental disorders such as depression. A counselor teaches children and their families to handle their difficulties by learning better coping skills and using their own personal strengths. Many times, because of their experience with children, these professionals become school psychologists.

To work with troubled children who may be challenging or mentally ill, a child psychologist must be extremely patient and gentle. Counselors cannot be impulsive, judgmental or harsh, since they treat children and families with a variety of problems. These patients are in need of compassion.

Education

To practice child psychology independently, most states insist that counselors complete bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees in psychology and a post-doctoral internship of at least one year. Professional licensing in many states requires one to two years of supervised post-doctoral work before the student can take the licensing exam. Completion of the necessary education will likely take about eight years.

Although physical therapy and pediatric psychology are extremely demanding fields, they are extremely rewarding. Not just the reward of a good salary, but the personal gratification of helping a child regain mental and physical health is priceless. Find out more about child therapy careers at TherapistSchools.com.

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Tags: Physical Therapist, Physical Therapists

Top Interview Tips for Landing a Physical Therapy Job

You’ve completed your schooling and your clinicals, and now you’ve snagged that coveted interview. What can you do to make sure you nail it? Try out these interview tips to have the best possible interview, and land that job.

Before the Interview

1. Practice your pitch.

The interview is your opportunity to sell yourself. What makes you uniquely qualified for this job? Why do you want to work in physical therapy? Take the time to really think about why you’re the best person for the job, and practice saying it aloud until it rolls off your tongue. If possible, have a friend help you, but make sure you choose one who is willing to give you honest feedback.

2. Prepare answers to typical interview questions.

Some questions tend to crop up in nearly every interview:

·         What are your greatest strengths?

·         What do you consider your weaknesses?

·         Tell me about yourself.

·         Where do you see yourself in five years?

Create answers to these questions ahead of time, and practice them until they are smooth. Interviewers are looking for strong answers that indicate you will be a good team player, a hard worker and loyal to the company. Make sure that all of your answers indicate your strengths AND weaknesses. When interviewees are honest about their experiences at PT schools, employers trust they will be honest on the job as well.

During the Interview

1. Arrive early.

No matter what type of job you are applying for, you absolutely have to arrive to the interview early. Aim to arrive about 15 minutes early. If you are worried about traffic, try to get there about a half-hour early, and spend the extra time in your car reviewing your prepared answers. Don’t eat anything on the way there; you don’t want onion or garlic breath to be what does you in.

2. Be confident.

Even if you are terrified, pretend to be confident. Just like the saying: Fake it ’til you make it. Have a nice, strong handshake, think about your answers and avoid “umming” and “ahhing.”

3. Listen carefully.

Don’t make assumptions, and don’t let your mind wander. Listen carefully to each question that you are asked. You may be asked questions you haven’t prepared for, and if so, take time to carefully think out your answers, working to highlight your strengths and qualifications in every answer.

Following the Interview

1. Follow up.

Send a polite email thanking the interviewer for the interview. Communication keeps you fresh in the interviewer’s mind, which can make a huge difference. Don’t try tricks like sending cookies or gift cards. This makes you look desperate and might leave the interviewer wondering why you are resorting to “bribery.”

2. Answer the phone.

Keep your phone with you, charged and turned on at all times. You cannot afford to have a call from HR go to voice mail. Many others may have interviewed for the job, and if the decision was close, the interviewer may very well decide to skip you and go down the list to the next candidate.

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