What is a Clinical Nurse Specialist?
Job Description: Plan, direct, or coordinate the daily patient care activities in a clinical practice. Ensure adherence to established clinical policies, protocols, regulations, and standards.
Daily Life Of a Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Coordinate or conduct educational programs or in-service training sessions on topics such as clinical procedures.
- Monitor or evaluate medical conditions of patients in collaboration with other health care professionals.
- Provide consultation to other health care providers in areas such as patient discharge, patient care, or clinical procedures.
- Chair nursing departments or committees.
- Instruct nursing staff in areas such as the assessment, development, implementation and evaluation of disability, illness, management, technology, or resources.
- Make clinical recommendations to physicians, other health care providers, insurance companies, patients, or health care organizations.
Clinical Nurse Specialist Required Skills
Below is a list of the skills most Clinical Nurse Specialists say are important on the job.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Other Clinical Nurse Specialist Job Titles
- Emergency Department Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Cardiothoracic Surgery Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Cardiology Clinical Consultant
- Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Nephrology Nurse
Job Demand for Clinical Nurse Specialists
In the United States, there were 2,955,200 jobs for Clinical Nurse Specialist in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 14.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 438,000 new jobs for Clinical Nurse Specialist by 2026. There will be an estimated 203,700 positions for Clinical Nurse Specialist per year.
The states with the most job growth for Clinical Nurse Specialist are Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Wisconsin, or Connecticut. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Clinical Nurse Specialist Salary
The salary for Clinical Nurse Specialists ranges between about $50,800 and $106,530 a year.
Clinical Nurse Specialists who work in Hawaii, California, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.
How much do Clinical Nurse Specialists make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $59,470 |
| Alaska | $89,310 |
| Arizona | $77,000 |
| Arkansas | $60,780 |
| California | $106,950 |
| Colorado | $74,240 |
| Connecticut | $81,220 |
| Delaware | $74,800 |
| District of Columbia | $92,350 |
| Florida | $66,210 |
| Georgia | $68,950 |
| Hawaii | $98,080 |
| Idaho | $67,110 |
| Illinois | $73,890 |
| Indiana | $64,860 |
| Iowa | $59,130 |
| Kansas | $61,030 |
| Kentucky | $63,100 |
| Louisiana | $63,970 |
| Maine | $67,610 |
| Maryland | $76,820 |
| Massachusetts | $92,140 |
| Michigan | $71,330 |
| Minnesota | $78,920 |
| Mississippi | $58,490 |
| Missouri | $65,130 |
| Montana | $67,450 |
| Nebraska | $64,470 |
| Nevada | $85,620 |
| New Hampshire | $72,760 |
| New Jersey | $82,750 |
| New Mexico | $71,730 |
| New York | $85,610 |
| North Carolina | $64,850 |
| North Dakota | $65,740 |
| Ohio | $66,820 |
| Oklahoma | $63,080 |
| Oregon | $91,080 |
| Pennsylvania | $70,390 |
| Rhode Island | $78,420 |
| South Carolina | $64,940 |
| South Dakota | $58,340 |
| Tennessee | $61,320 |
| Texas | $72,890 |
| Utah | $65,670 |
| Vermont | $69,160 |
| Virginia | $69,790 |
| Washington | $82,670 |
| West Virginia | $61,780 |
| Wisconsin | $71,470 |
| Wyoming | $67,360 |
What Tools do Clinical Nurse Specialists Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Clinical Nurse Specialists may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- Email software
- GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
- Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR
- eClinicalWorks
- Allscripts Professional EHR
- SOAPware EMR
- e-MDs software
- ChartWare EMR
- NextGen Healthcare Information Systems EMR
- Cerner Millennium
- MicroFour PracticeStudio.NET EMR
- SynaMed EMR
- Texas Medical Software SpringCharts EMR
- Amkai AmkaiCharts
- Medscribbler Enterprise
How to Become a Clinical Nurse Specialist
What education or degrees do I need to become a Clinical Nurse Specialist?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Clinical Nurse Specialist?
Who Employs Clinical Nurse Specialists?
Clinical Nurse Specialists work in the following industries:
Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Clinical Nurse Specialist might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
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