Clinical Nurse Specialist
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is an advanced practice nurse. They provide
specialized focused nursing in a variety of settings. Some of the areas of
specialization are:
Pain Management
Diabetes
Emergency/Trauma
Geriatrics
Pediatrics
Medical/Surgical
Oncology
Critical Care
Cardiac
Education
Just to name a few.
Education Requirements
The general requirements to be a CNS are:
* Be a currently licensed registered nurse
* Possess a Masters or Ph.d in the area of specialty or with an emphasis on the
area of specialty.
* Obtain a certification in the area of specialty if available.
*** Special Note - there are a number of educational tracks
available to achieve nursing degrees. Associate Degree RN to BSN programs are
starting to become very common and a number of colleges are starting to offer
Associate Degree RN to MSN programs.
There may be additional state imposed requirements or standards to work as
clinical nurse specialist. The state
Nurse Practice Acts are a good place to check for additional requirements.
Resources
For more information about schools, associations and related information
about clinical nurse specialists check out these links:
National Association of Clinical
Nurse Specialists
There is even an advanced practice magazine for CNS nurses.
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