Online Bridge to MSN: Health Informatics Pathway

This bridge pathway is designed for nurses who do not have a previous Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. For more specific information on admission requirements for your program, visit our admission page to learn more and fill out the form on this page to speak with a university counselor. 

Many health informatics careers, especially in nursing informatics, prefer or require a master’s-level nursing degree.^{(See disclaimer 2)} Some RNs can gain entry to health informatics programs by obtaining a BSN degree. However, if you are a nurse without a BSN, this bridge pathway can help you prepare for entry into your MSN health information program by teaching you critical nursing knowledge and helping you establish a basis for advanced nursing informatics studies.

Health informatics focuses on how information technology can be used to inform patient outcomes through analyzing and gathering health records and data. Efficient access to accurate medical records is of crucial importance in the healthcare field for both patients and healthcare professionals.

Nursing informatics puts the role of the nurse into this setting, integrating nursing science with information and analytical sciences. The role of nurses in this specialty includes responsibilities such as identifying, defining, managing and communicating data, information knowledge and wisdom into their nursing practice.^{(See disclaimer 3)}

Nursing health informatics is not typically as math-heavy as other fields, like engineering or advanced statistics. While students may work with data, reports and basic analytics, the focus is on interpreting healthcare information and using technology to support clinical and operational decisions.