Clinical Nurse Specialist

Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) are licensed registered professional nurses prepared at the graduate level, who are expert in the diagnosis of actual or potential illness, the delivery of evidenced-based nursing interventions, and are experts in assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of disease for a specialty population. CNSs possess a mastery of science of nursing with a specialty focus and apply that mastery in the validation of existing nursing assessments, diagnoses and interventions, and in the design of innovations. CNSs work with other nurses to advance nursing practice and improve outcomes. CNSs also provide clinical expertise to effect system-wide changes that improve programs of and outcomes of care.*

CNSs typically specialize in an area of practice within evidence-based competencies associated with that specialty. Specialty areas are evolving as the science of care evolves and include but are not limited to the following:

• Population (e.g. pediatrics, geriatrics, women's health)
• Type of problem (e.g. pain, wound management, stress)
• Setting (e.g. critical care, emergency department, community centers)
• Type of care (e.g. rehabilitation, wellness, end of life)
• Disease/pathology/medical specialty (e.g. diabetes, oncology, psychiatry)*

The graduate student who selects the 47 credit Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) advanced practice role option will be prepared to effectively influence the health outcomes of patients and clients, the practice of nursing personnel, and patient care processes and client population outcomes in the health care organization or network. The ability of the CNS to exert influence related to patient care, nursing personnel, and the health care organization or network system is nurtured through a curriculum which creates opportunities for the CNS student to acquire essential characteristics of the CNS role: professional attributes, and leadership, collaboration, and consultation skills. Graduate faculty have used the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) document, The Essentials of Master's Education for Advanced Practice Nursing and the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) Statement on Clinical Nurse Specialist Practice and Education (2004) to guide curriculum development in the MSN Program. The graduate student preparing for certification as a Clinical Nurse Specialist acquires the background for this advanced practice in nursing through the Nursing Science Component Courses, the Advanced Practice Component Courses and Supportive Fields Courses.

Graduate students in the CNS role option select a clinical area and population focus early in their graduate studies. Students have the opportunity to develop, test, and practice interventions related to non-disease based and disease based etiologies of client and population health / illness injury challenges. During the three clinical internship courses the student gains advanced practice knowledge, competencies, and skills related to the three spheres of influence in CNS practice: Patient / Client, N661 Advanced Practice I CNS; Nursing Personnel N648 Advanced Practice II CNS; and the Organization / Network N649 Advanced Practice III CNS. Clinical Nurse Specialists prepared in the graduate level are able to contribute to the advancement of nursing practice and the discipline of nursing.

Upon completing the requirements of the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or the Post-Nursing Master's Graduate Certificate: CNS and after the conferring of the degree, students are eligible to take national certifying examinations in the chosen area of specialty. Typically, students at Minnesota State University, Mankato have chosen to write the examination for medical-surgical CNS certification. For more information on the CNS role, you may also choose to access the website of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists.

Source: *The Statement on Clinical Nurse Specialist Practice and Education (2004). Published by the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists.