THE WORLD IS CHANGING RAPIDLY, SO ARE HEALTH CARE CAREERS

Home About Us Our Sponsors Careers Education Employers Labor Market Info Important Links Downloads Contact Us		Clinical Nurse Specialist  (Nursing) DID YOU KNOW?   (click for more) DID YOU KNOW?   (click to hide) Clinical Nurse Specialist - Did-You-Know( 1. Did you know Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) are using Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) both in the classroom and in the clinical setting? Some classes now offer “open-PDA” tests instead of open-book tests. Many computer programs are available for APNs to load on their PDAs that can be used while evaluating patients, including data collection and storage programs in addition to updated reference materials such as pharmacology. 2. Did you know cell phones are starting to be used as data collection devices by APNs? 3. Did you know APN courses utilize electronic resources such as Blackbaord, V2L, or WebCT to set up online communities for students? Lectures can be recorded and made assessable and discussion threads can be posted through these programs. 4. Did you know most APN students are required to own a computer, and within the foreseeable future students will be required to own a laptop and PDA as a course requirement. 5. Did you know the staff support model for APN instructors includes graphic designers that provide updated technical support? Did you know this model also includes a librarian dedicated to aiding students and instructors to become competent consumers of information? 6. Did you know distance education, online courses, and satellite teaching use live video streaming for didactic instruction? DESCRIPTION OF WORK: A Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is an advanced practice nurse whose care focuses on a specific patient population. CNSs choose an area of specialization, such as critical care, gerontology, oncology, or pediatrics. A CNS divides their time into five general areas - clinical practice, teaching, research, consulting, and leadership. Mean average salary for this position is $71,075 (according to salary.com). WHERE EMPLOYED: While most CNSs work in hospitals, they can also practice independently, or work in long-term care facilities and for various health care agencies. Some CNSs are also employed to teach in schools of nursing. PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS: Clinical nurse specialists must first develop expertise as an excellent nurse. CNSs must be comfortable playing leadership roles, including leading health care teams of other nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and therapists. A high degree of self-confidence is needed to play the role of expert consultant and teacher to other health care team members. Since the CNS role is multifaceted, the applicant should have strong skills in prioritization, time management, and handling multiple responsibilities simultaneously. ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS: Graduate degree and specialty certification, beyond the basic RN licensure. Experience within the specialty is necessary and the amount of experience varies among educational programs. EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS: A master’s degree is required. The Clinical Specialist track requires the completion of approximately 35 semester hours of both theory and practicum courses (usually including approximately 500 hours of work in a practice clinical setting). After completion of the graduate program, CNSs take certification exams in their area of specialty. EMPLOYERS: Potential employers for this career. LAST UPDATED: 9/9/2007 - Update Current status - Active
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