Nursing informatics (NI) is a well-established specialty within nursing. Background on the birth and evolution of NI, and the NI scope of practice and certification are explored. NI has played a vital role in influencing health care information system features and functions. Today, nursing informatics has evolved to be an integral part of health care delivery and a differentiating factor in the selection, implementation, and evaluation of health IT that supports safe, high-quality, patient-centric care.