PSU-Shenango offers nursing informatics

Staff report

Sharon, pa.

Nurses who are interested in advanced education have an opportunity to earn an undergraduate Certificate in Nursing Informatics at Penn State University-Shenango.

Informatics uses information-technology in nursing.

The nine-credit certificate may be earned as part of the registered nurse to bachelor of science in nursing program or as a stand-alone certificate for any registered nurse interested in learning more about nursing informatics.

“I’m very excited that we are able to offer this to our local nurses,” said Kathy Mastrian, associate professor of nursing.

“The courses that are offered as part of this certificate will prepare nurses to support, promote and assist in implementation and efficient, ethical and safe use of informatics tools in technology rich health-care environments,” she said.

The nine-credit certificate includes course work in electronic health records, clinical decision support tools and database management — information that nurses can apply immediately to demonstrate their competency and advance their careers.

Through the curriculum, students will learn new skills, including system evaluations, quality improvement and patient safety, to support organizational knowledge management and to promote public health.

By completing the Nursing Informatics Certificate program, nurses may be able to obtain positions within the informatics area of various organizations including hospitals, corporate offices of health care systems, consulting firms or health-care vendors or home-health agencies.

For information about Penn State Shenango’s Nursing Informatics Certificate program or its RN to bachelor’s program, contact Dr. Kathy Mastrian at kgm1@psu.edu.