CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST

General Purpose of Job:

The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is an advanced practice nurse for a program, population or specialty area. The CNS influences outcomes for patients, nurses, and health systems by providing direct care, expert consultation, and implementing improvements based on current evidence-based practice. The CNS has knowledge and skills to serve through collaboration, consultation, education, mentoring, and change leadership.

Essential Duties:

This job description is intended to cover the minimum essential duties assigned on a regular basis. Associates may be asked to perform additional duties as assigned by their leader. Leadership has the right to alter or modify the duties of the position.

Patient:

• Provides expert consultation and/or treatment based on a broad range of theories and evidence
• Leads and/or collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to enhance the quality and safety of patient care
• Designs evidence-based, cost-effective interventions to meet needs of complex patients

Nursing:

• Mentors nurses in use of evidence-based practice to achieve optimal health care outcomes
• Develops, implements, and disseminates nursing research and/or quality improvement by acting as a principle investigator/project lead, mentor, or consultant
• Advances the science of nursing through participation in professional organizations, publications and presentations
• Creates and revises nursing policies, procedures, protocols and plans of care using current evidence to achieve positive outcomes
• Advocates for nursing professional development and the ability to practice to the fullest extent of the role
• Evaluates outcomes of nursing practice using methods that provide valid data

Organization/System:

• Designs, implements, and evaluates programs/initiatives congruent with strategic goals, regulatory requirements, and established standards
• Leads and participates in systematic quality improvement and safety initiatives based on problem identification, gap analysis and process evaluations
• Develops and/or evaluates system level interventions, programs and outcomes based on analysis of information
• Analyses system data to assess efficiency, standardize effective outcomes and optimize fiscal resources