We all look for that perfect career – that career that we think is out there or that career we think we deserve.  Well, in support of HIMSS members’ career efforts, HIMSS Career Services recently launched an eMentoring program.  The eMentoring program was created to strengthen HIMSS members’ abilities to connect with industry leaders focusing on health IT and management systems in various stages of a health IT career. This program provides our members the opportunity to become connected via social media to some nationally recognized leaders in health IT. Our mentors can be utilized to help level set career paths by offering practical pearls.

Recently one of these mentors provided a practical yet impactful pearl of advice - get to know your overall personal career goals. Additionally, suggested the following: “Write down your perfect health IT role.  If you can’t articulate your career goals then how do you expect to find that career you are so desperately seeking?” So, the take away is to level set your career expectations because when you can do that comfortably, then you can start to better identify your career path.  Also, being able to understand where you need more education and direction and then develop a career building strategy using HIMSS Professional Development resources is invaluable.  HIMSS Career Services prides itself on supporting our members’ efforts of learning with a continued launching of new and innovative career‐related products.

A great example of HIMSS ability to help our member’s grow a health IT career is our ability to target educational programs that meet the needs of our diverse membership.  For example, HIMSS Career Services, Professional Development in collaboration with HIMSS Informatics is collectively working on a Nursing Informatics Institute Day to be held at Sharp HealthCare, San Diego, California on January 27, 2012.  We often hear about meaningful use but what impact do these concepts have on the nursing environment?   HIMSS educational opportunities are here to support all of our members and we try very hard to identify our member’s need and proactively create programs to empower.  Again, not only is education important but having a mentor and learning from one is invaluable.  So, this specially designed program for our nursing community is a day where we will have nationally recognized nurse leaders such as Joyce Sensmeier, MS, RN, BC, CPHIMS, FHIMSS, FAAN, Vice President, Informatics (our own HIMSS nurse champion extraordinaire), Willa Fields, DNSc, RN, FHIMSS, Professor in the School of Nursing at San Diego State University, Liz Johnson, MS, FHIMSS, CPHIMS, RN-BC, VP, Applied Clinical Informatics, Tenet Health and Barbara Radice, RN, MS, Vice President, Sharp HealthCare.  The program is geared to introduce our members to these national leaders and learn some nursing informatics nuances.  Attending this event will enable the participants to build on career portfolios and enhance knowledge of the role nurses play in implementing information technology, focusing on workflow and patient safety to yield outcomes that improve patient care. So, sign up early to attend the event – seats are limited and going fast:  http://www.himss.org/sharpni/index.htm.

Remember - HIMSS Career Services has all the tools, skill sets and subject matter experts to empower you.  And, don’t forget to register early for the HIMSS Annual Event 2012 in Las Vegas and sign up for your programs. This is another great platform to utilize for career support.  Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available and remember...Be passionate about your career path and strive to make a difference and learn, learn...learn.  Technology is only the enabler; individuals will be the “transformers” of health IT in the years to come!
 

Helen Figge is Senior Director of Career Services at HIMSS.