Career Profile: Clinical Nurse Specialist

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Job Description:

A clinical nurse specialist is a skilled healthcare professional that perform versatile functions. Moreover, they assume general duties that give emphasis on:

• clinical practice
• researching
• teaching
• consulting
• management

The role of clinical nurse specialist professionals goes beyond the basic patient care. In fact, they are deeply involved in increasing the effectiveness of the healthcare system. Aside from that, they can specialize in a particular type of disease (i.e. diabetes, cardiovascular disorders), and they are also capable of working in different health care environments.

Some of the important responsibilities of clinical nurse specialist professionals include the following:

• evaluate, consult, and educate healthcare staff under their respective departments
• oversee all healthcare duties to prevent the possibility of medical errors
• enlighten patients about the importance of compliance and appropriate lifestyle modification
• assess and develop effective solutions for the problems of various patients
• take over research and educational functions to ascertain that patients are given the best possible care

Work Environment:

Clinical nurse specialist professionals are usually employed in hospitals, urgent care clinics, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities. They have a very flexible work schedule, and are given the opportunity to choose a specific area of focus whether on medical research or direct patient care.

Clinical nurse specialist professionals are exposed in an environment wherein quality patient care is an important concern. That being said, they really have to be highly skilled and experienced in order to perform their duties effectively.

Education and Training Requirements:

Since CNS is considered as an advanced type of nursing profession, it is critical that clinical nurse specialist aspirants earn a master's degree. Getting formal education and training from accredited universities and colleges is essential to ensure that aspirants will acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to become an effective clinical nurse specialist.

CNS graduates are required to take licensure exam in the state where they wish to practice their profession in order to become certified. It is also highly advised that they supplement their knowledge by participating in additional trainings to keep up with the changing medical trends. Most importantly, they have to satisfy continuing educational requirements in order to keep their license up-to-date.

Salary Range:

The income wages of clinical nurse specialist professional are greatly affected by their geographical location, area of specialization and years of experience. The usual salary range of clinical nurse specialist professionals falls around $53,468 - $88,224 annually. Meanwhile, those who have obtained higher educational degrees and participated in supplemental trainings typically receive annual earnings of more than $94,287.

Job Outlook:

Employment outlook for clinical nurse specialist professionals is very promising. This is because the growing number of the aging population and the continuous expansion of the healthcare industry will prompt more job openings for certified clinical nurse specialist professionals.

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