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Clinical Nurse Specialists

  • Bright Outlook
  • Rapid Growth
  • Numerous Job Openings

Direct nursing staff in the provision of patient care in a clinical practice setting, such as a hospital, hospice, clinic, or home. Ensure adherence to established clinical policies, protocols, regulations, and standards.

What you’d do

  • Provide specialized direct and indirect care to inpatients and outpatients within a designated specialty, such as obstetrics, neurology, oncology, or neonatal care.
  • Collaborate with other health care professionals and service providers to ensure optimal patient care.
  • Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.
  • Develop, implement, or evaluate standards of nursing practice in specialty area, such as pediatrics, acute care, and geriatrics.
  • Maintain departmental policies, procedures, objectives, or infection control standards.
  • Instruct nursing staff in areas such as the assessment, development, implementation, and evaluation of disability, illness, management, technology, or resources.
  • Develop and maintain departmental policies, procedures, objectives, or patient care standards, based on evidence-based practice guidelines or expert opinion.
  • Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice or organizational systems.

Skills that matter

  • Speaking
  • Active Learning
  • Critical Thinking
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Monitoring
  • Reading Comprehension

How to get there

Extensive preparation: most need graduate school, such as a master's degree or higher

Also called

  • APN (Advanced Practice Nurse)
  • CNS (Clinical Nurse Specialist)
  • Critical Care CNS (Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist)
  • Neuroscience Clinical Nurse Specialist (Neuroscience CNS)
  • Board Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS-BC)
  • Emergency Clinical Nurse Specialist (Emergency CNS)
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