Nurses Month Member Spotlight: Jesus A. Diaz MBA, MSN, RN

May is National Nurses Month, a time to honor and celebrate the incredible work of nurses. HIMSS is celebrating its members who are on the front lines every day.

What is the organization of your employment?

Memorial Healthcare System

What is your current position?

Director, Nursing informatics

Tell us more about your background.

I've been a Registered Nurse since 2009 and have primarily served Behavioral Health populations across various settings until transitioning into Informatics in 2017. Obtaining a quality education was always a personal and professional goal of mine. In 2009, I achieved my ADN and in 2013 I completed an RN-MSN program at Nova Southeastern University and earned my MSN with Highest Honors. In 2018, I went back to Florida International University and earned my Healthcare MBA with Highest Honors. Although I may have taken an unconventional path into Informatics, I always found value in the role technology played in the delivery of care and the impact it had in gaining overall efficiencies. Having this insight allowed me to carry my successes from bedside care and operational roles into Informatics while continuously learning.

Along the way, I've had the opportunity to volunteer in various South Florida and National organizations dedicated to the Health Information Technology Community. As a Nurse Informatics Leader, I take pride in partnering with our clinical stakeholders to support healthcare operations at the patient's bedside through analytics, collaborative leadership and technology adoption.

How do you engage with the broader nursing informatics community?

Engaging with various Nursing Informatics forums allows you to network with like-minded professionals while staying up to date with emerging technologies and trends within Health Information Technology.

How can the nursing informatics community support a new informatics leader?

Offering mentorships to the aspiring Nurse Informaticist or Nurse leader is the best way to support someone's growth and development. This offers someone opportunities to explore real-world exposure to the evolving role of Informatics while offering a glimpse to a seat at the decision-making table. This is increasingly becoming more prominent as technology is at the crossroad of most business decisions happening in healthcare today.

What advice can you share to a new informatics nurse or leader?

Network and develop meaningful relationships as they mean everything, and you can never stop learning! Join professional groups and attend networking events to grow your professional brand. Lastly, take your career to the next level and become certified in your area of expertise.

How can nurses become involved in nursing informatics?

If you are new to Informatics, join a professional organization that provides industry leading educational content. You can also inquire with your employer if they have a mentorship program or Nursing Informatics workgroup that you can collaborate with and learn from. This will be an invaluable part of your growth journey.

Can you share how the nursing informatics community has helped you overcome a challenge or inspired your work?

The HIMSS Nursing Informatics community has allowed me to learn from thought leaders across the country. Access to this expansive group ensures that you are receiving industry leading content which allows you to learn from. The days of reinventing the wheel are over when you have such a collective group of thought leaders who you can access and tap into. Personally, learning about advances in Virtual Nursing and Consumer Experience has allowed me to both excel in my role and better serve the patient populations I serve.

Nurses Month is sponsored by BD.