Clinical Nurse Specialist

Clinical Nurse Specialist

Requirements

• Master’s Degree in Nursing in the CNS track required
• Current license to practice as a RN in the state of NC
• CNS certification from a national credentialing body approved by the North Carolina Board of Nursing (NCBON) required
• If no CNS certification available in the specialty, must meet requirements determined by the NCBON to be recognized as a CNS
• Recognition as a CNS must be maintained in accordance with the requirements of NCBON
• Appropriate practice area certification strongly recommended within 1 year of eligibility for certification exam

Responsibilities

• Conducts comprehensive, holistic wellness to illness assessments using evidence-based techniques and tools
• Synthesizes assessment data, advanced knowledge, and experience, using critical thinking and clinical judgment to formulate differential diagnoses for clinical problems amendable to CNS intervention
• Designs initiatives to meet the multifaceted needs of complex patients that integrate health equity strategies to eliminate disparities
• Develops evidence-based clinical interventions and systems to achieve defined patient and system outcomes
• Provides CNS consultation to staff nurses, medical staff and interdisciplinary colleagues
• Provides leadership for collaborative, evidence-based revision of diagnoses and plans of care to improve patient outcomes
• Directs/provides care to select patients based on need and the CNS’s expertise
• Leads and participates in activities such as interprofessional rounds
• Identifies potential risks to patient safety, autonomy, and quality of care
• Intervenes to prevent and/or minimize iatrogenesis and ensure patient safety
• Develops interventions that promote patient, family, and community safety
• Identifies gaps in translation of evidence into practice by participating in CCAs & RCAs
• Supports the development of innovative, cost-effective programs/protocols
• Facilitates clinically competent care through education, role modeling, teambuilding, and quality monitoring
• Communicates effectively with nursing staff to best meet patients’ needs
• Participates in pre-professional, graduate and continuing education of nurses to include: Conducts needs assessments as appropriate, Implementation of staff development and continuing education activities, Mentoring of nurses to translate research into practice
• Facilitates development of critical thinking in health care team members
• Leads and participates in interprofessional teams examining data and trends to identify system opportunities as well as gaps/barriers due to both internal and external factors
• Conducts cost/benefit and cost avoidance analysis of programs, processes, and technologies
• Participates with interprofessional teams in conducting and implementing research/clinical inquiry
• Analyzes research findings and other evidence for application to clinical practice
• Participates in development, implementation, and monitoring of system-level strategies and objectives in collaboration with executive leaders
• Demonstrates expertise through dissemination of CNS work via presentations or publications

Preferred Qualifications

• Appropriate practice area certification strongly recommended within 1 year of eligibility for certification exam