Director of Clinical Information Systems
Job Description
DEPARTMENT:
RESPONSIBLE TO:
FLSA:
APPROVAL
Clinical Information Systems
Vice President of Patient Care Services
Exempt
DATE
APPROVAL
DATE
POSITION PURPOSE:
The Director of Clinical Information Systems will perform all aspects of his/her role consistent with the
American Nurses Association Scope & Standards for Nursing Informatics Practice (White Paper,
October 2001). The Director of Clinical Information Systems is a member of the leadership team and
is responsible to ensure all clinical information system implementations are consistent with our belief in
providing compassionate nursing care based on current standards of practice. The Director of Clinical
Information Systems is responsible for the investigation and oversight of implementation relative to
functions for patient care services. S/he supports a shared leadership philosophy and advances the
professional practice model for patient care services.
The Director of Clinical Information Systems integrates nursing science, computer science, and
information science to manage and communicate data, information, and knowledge in nursing practice.
S/he facilitates the integration of data, information, and knowledge to support patients, nurses, and other
providers in their decision-making in all roles and settings. This support is accomplished through the
use of information structures, information processes, and information technology.
The Director of Clinical Information Systems strives to improve the health of populations, communities,
families, and individuals by optimizing information management and communication. This includes the
use of technology in the direct provision of care, in establishing effective administrative systems, in
managing and delivering educational experiences, in supporting life-long learning, and in supporting
nursing research.
The Director of Clinical Information Systems will practice within the standards of practice for the
informatics nurse specialist. These standards are organized around a general problem-solving
framework that closely resembles the familiar nursing process of assessment, diagnosis, identification of
outcomes, planning, implementation, and evaluation. The problem-solving framework supports all
facets of informatics practice, including those without technology, and all areas of nursing practice.
Informatics nurse specialists and other informaticians use a structured problem-solving method to
identify and clarify issues and select, develop, implement, and evaluate informatics solutions. These
steps are not mutually exclusive and topics may overlap multiple identified steps.
The Director of Clinical Information Systems is responsible to maintain an adequate number of staff in
which to enhance implementation of all technology affecting patient care. S/he enhances the practice
environment, consistent with Magnet hospital criteria, encouraging staff accountability for their own
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practice, and recruiting and retaining employees with the appropriate values, experience, education and
background.
The Director of Clinical Information Systems is responsible for recommending after identifying and
analyzing an issue. An Informatics solution may encompass technology and non-technology products
such as developing a database, purchasing a new computer application, creating nursing vocabulary,
designing informatics curricula, creating a spreadsheet, tailoring an application to a particular
environment, designing a research study to describe required informatics competencies, describing
information flow in a process redesign, or creating a structure for information presentation.
The Director of Clinical Information Systems incorporates theories, principles, and concepts from
appropriate sciences into informatics practice. Examples of theories could include information, systems,
and change theories. Principles and concepts could include project management, implementation
methods, organizational culture, and data-base structures. S/he integrates ergonomics and humancomputer interaction principles into informatics solution design, development, selection,
implementation, and evaluation. S/he systematically determines the social, legal, and ethical impact of
an informatics solution within nursing and health care.
REPORTING RELATIONSHIP:
_________________ supports a shared leadership philosophy and encourages nursing staff to
demonstrate accountability for their own practice. Therefore, the nursing organization reflects a flat
structure. The Director of Clinical Information Systems reports to the Vice President of Patient Care
Services, who, in turn reports to the Chief Executive Officer.
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ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
 Assures that individual rights are honored, and that all interactions are respectful and valued.
 Demonstrates ethical conduct and practice consistent with the Code of Ethics for Nurses with
Interpretive Statements (2001).
 Participates in nursing and organizational policy formulation and decision-making, especially as
it relates to technology.
 Synthesizes data, information, and knowledge to clarify informatics issues or problems.
 Analyzes multiple approaches/solutions to the informatics issue or problem.
 Develops an informatics solution for a specific issue or problem.
 Manages the process for implementing the solution to the informatics issue or problem.
 Evaluates all processes and solutions used to address the informatics problem.
 Evaluates the quality and effectiveness of nursing informatics practice.
 Evaluates one’s own nursing informatics practice in relation to professional practice standards
and relevant statutes and regulations.
 Maintains knowledge and competency that reflects current nursing informatics practice.
 Collaborates with others in the conduct of nursing informatics practice.
 Contributes to the body of informatics knowledge.
 Considers factors related to safety, effectiveness, costs, and impact in conducting informatics
practice.
 Employs effective communications.
 Provides guidance for and supervision of personnel and evaluates performance.
 Personally adheres to and holds staff accountable for behaviors that are consistent with standards
of good citizenship.
 Meets leadership competency requirements as specified below and carries out learning plan for
ongoing personal development.
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o Competencies:
 Core
 Customer Focused
 Developing Others
 Interdependence (Team Focused)
 Mission Centered
 Open Communication
 Project Leader
 Organizational Knowledge
 Project Methodology
 Project Team Building
 Results Oriented
 Service Delivery Leader
 Budget Preparation & Management
 Building Relationships
 Field & Industry Expertise
 Planning & Prioritizing
 Problem Solving
 Selecting & Retaining Talent
 Supporting & Implementing Change
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Systems and Integration Leader
 Analytic Decision Making
 Change Agent SIL
 Industry and Regulatory Knowledge
 Managing Projects SIL
 Organizational Financial Planning
 Systems Thinking
o Applicable competencies from Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC), 3rd Edition
(2000):
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Risk Identification
Conflict Mediation
Program Development
Health Policy Monitoring
Fiscal Resource Management
Research Data Collection
Incident Reporting
Consultation
Staff Development
Supply Management
Staff Supervision
Quality Monitoring
Product Evaluation
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Physician Support
Peer Review
Delegation
Cost Containment
Patient Rights Protection
Decision-Making Support
Cultural Brokerage
Active Listening
WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
1. In an eight-hour day, the Director of Clinical Information Systems must be able to sit for 3 ½
hours, stand for 3 ½ hours, and walk for 1 hour.
2. Requires occasional bending/stooping (6-10% of work time).
3. Requires occasional carrying or lifting of objects weighing up to 50 lbs.
4. Requires use of hands for actions such as typing, simple grasping, fine manipulation, and
repetitive actions.
5. Requires the ability to frequently respond to multiple demands and priorities.
6. Has potential for exposure to infectious diseases, hazardous waste and chemicals.
7. Requires visual acuity, the ability to speak and the ability to hear speech.
MINIMUM EDUCATION, LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION, AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
The Director of Clinical Information Systems must hold an active license to practice nursing in the State
of Iowa. S/he should be prepared with a minimum of a baccalaureate degree in nursing. A master’s
degree in nursing is recommended, as is certification by a nationally recognized nursing organization in
nursing administration and an appropriate specialty area. The Director of Clinical Information Systems
will have clinical nursing experience and experience in a nursing administrative/leadership role. S/he is
a member of an appropriate professional nursing organization and seeks continuing education and
professional development opportunities consistent with the annual learning plan.
Original: 06/23/05
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