NI Guided Series Test Catalog Page
Health Informatics Online Classroom
The VHA informatics workforce, including nursing informaticists, are expected to develop and maintain informatics competencies needed for the implementation and maintenance of the new electronic health record.
The purpose of this series is to provide:
- An accessible forum and a collaborative learning environment for Registered Nurses interested in studying for the ANCC Nursing Informatics Certification Exam.
- Review materials and learning activities based on the major topic areas covered in the ANCC Nursing Informatics Certification Exam to help guide preparation.
Intended audience: Primarily registered nurses who are employees of VA and Federal Partners (not intended for contract staff). But anyone can join if not restricted.
A printable version of the syllabus is available at this link.
Schedule is as follows: (Schedule updated- courses are delayed in opening due to accreditation).
- Module 1 will be open March 1st through June 30th with the next session opening on July 1st.
- Module 2 will be open April 15th through July 31st with the next session opening on August 1st.
- Module 3 will be open May 1st through August 31st with the next session opening on September1st.
Start during any month/module; the modules do not have to be taken in order! Take any modules that interest you, or complete the entire series! Select the course below and select the session that you wish to enroll in. Click the "Enroll now" link in the listing below to enroll into a module.
Should you require assistance, please send us an email: VHAhi2CertHelp@va.gov
This module covers the nursing informatics scope and standards and competencies, including a competency self-assessment using the TIGER-based Assessment of Nursing Informatics Competencies tool (TANIC©) and the Nursing Informatics Competency Assessment tool (NICA© L3/L4). The module also focuses on nursing informatics theories, rules, regulations, and requirements that guide practice. Finally, this module introduces team building principles and skills as well as communication in informatics. There will be a pre-test and post- test for each section topic to measure knowledge acquisition.
The course is comprised of four major topics (36 % of the exam) based upon the 2022 ANCC Nursing Informatics Certification exam outline. These topics are:
- Professional practice
- Methodologies and theories
- Rules, regulations, and requirements
- Inter-professional collaboration.
Successful completion of this course results in 20 ANCC accredited hours.
Click here to open learning objectives.- Utilize the ANA Scope and Standards for Nursing Informatics to provide real world examples of functional areas and the competencies needed for informatics nurses today.
- Identify general leadership and management principles.
- Identify models, tools, and techniques for incorporating evidence-based practice into the electronic health record.
- Identify informatics competencies for all nurses, the informatics nurse and informatics nurse specialist.
- Identify and utilize appropriate informatics theories and models that support practice when dealing with real informatics issues.
- Identify and apply common change management and process improvement techniques.
- Perform a self- assessment of informatics competencies and develop a plan to address weaknesses.
- Discuss how ethical principles are applied to data informatics solutions.
- Identify regulatory, reimbursement and accreditation requirements related to informatics.
- Recognize legal issues related to malpractice, scope of practice, proprietary data misuse and copy right permissions.
- Discuss policy promotion and public advocacy for health equity (community-level health equity awareness, social determinants of health, population health and risk stratification)
- Discuss the security, privacy and confidentiality regulations, laws and principles related to health information technology.
- Identify team building principles and skills.
- Describe communication strategies and techniques inside and outside the organization.
| Session | Dates | Enrollment Period | Enroll |
| March 2024 | March 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024 | Now until April 30, 2024 | Enroll now |
| July 2024 | July 1, 2024 to September 30, 2024 | Now | |
| October 2024 | October 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 | Coming soon | |
| January 2025 | January 3, 2025 to March 30,2025 | Coming soon |
This module will cover the components of the system development life cycle in detail. It also incorporates project management principles used throughout the life cycle. There will be a pre-test and post- test to measure knowledge acquisition.
The module is comprised of four major topics (35 % of the exam) based upon the 2022 ANCC Nursing Informatics Certification exam outline. These topics are:
- Planning and Analysis
- Designing and Building
- Testing, Training, and Implementation
Successful completion of this course results in 15.5 ANCC accredited hours.
Click here to open learning objectives.- Discuss how the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is like the Nursing Process
- Describe each of the phases of the SDLC.
- Discuss the various methodologies used in the SDLC (e.g., waterfall, incremental, spiral, prototyping, agile, RAD)
- Identify tools and methods used in systems planning and strategic planning
- Identify project management concepts used in systems development life cycle.
- Identify and define tools and methods used in system analysis to map data flow and workflow.
- Develop a basic understanding of human computer interaction and human factors principles.
- Identify ergonomics issues related to information technology.
- Define software testing terms/ developing test scripts/creating and evaluating test scenarios.
- Discuss system implementation methodologies.
- Describe key components in planning education.
- Demonstrate understanding of contingency/disaster recovery planning.
- Discuss systems evaluation, maintenance, and support strategies.
- Monitoring, Maintaining, Supporting, and Evaluating
This module focuses on data standards and standardized nursing and multi-disciplinary nomenclatures. It also introduces various types of databases and concepts related to data warehouses. In this module, big data and data management principles will be introduced. In addition, the module contains data analysis, data visualization, machine learning/artificial intelligence and information retrieval concepts. Finally, the module will introduce basic information and computer science concepts such as computer hardware, software, and networks.
There will be a pre-test and post- test for each topic section to measure knowledge acquisition.
The module is comprised of four major topics (29% of the exam) based upon the 2022 ANCC Nursing Informatics Certification exam outline. These topics are:
- Data Standards
- Data Management
- Data Analysis, Application, and Transformation
- Hardware, Software, and Peripherals
ANCC accreditation pending
Click here to open learning objectives- Define metadata and the role of semantic representation.
- Describe standardized nursing and multi-disciplinary nomenclatures.
- Define concepts related to technical standards (HL7, FHIR, DICOM)
- Describe types of databases including data integration, data warehouses and queries/reports (Big data)
- Discuss data archiving concepts and principles.
- Define key terms related to data management and healthcare technology.
- Identify analytics tools and techniques to support operational decision making, quality, and risk management related activities.
- Discuss healthcare technology trends.
- Define data mining and describe utilization to improve quality of patient care.
- Demonstrate various ways to present data (e.g., graphs, charts, images, reports)
- Discuss information retrieval methods
- Identify the purpose and management of hardware, software and clinical devices as applied to the healthcare environment.
- Identify concepts related to patient generated data.