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Clinical Nurse Specialist

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What is a Clinical Nurse Specialist?

Career Description Plan, direct, or coordinate the daily patient care activities in a clinical practice. Ensure adherence to established clinical policies, protocols, regulations, and standards.

What Do Clinical Nurse Specialists Do On a Daily Basis?

  • Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.
  • Provide consultation to other health care providers in areas such as patient discharge, patient care, or clinical procedures.
  • Provide specialized direct and indirect care to inpatients and outpatients within a designated specialty, such as obstetrics, neurology, oncology, or neonatal care.
  • Participate in clinical research projects, such as by reviewing protocols, reviewing patient records, monitoring compliance, and meeting with regulatory authorities.
  • Present clients with information required to make informed health care and treatment decisions.
  • Lead nursing department implementation of, or compliance with, regulatory or accreditation processes.

Qualities of a Clinical Nurse Specialist

Clinical Nurse Specialists state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

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.

Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Types of Clinical Nurse Specialist Jobs

  • Cardiovascular Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Cardiothoracic Surgery Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist

Are There Job Opportunities 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.

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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.

Average Clinical Nurse Specialists Salary

The average yearly salary of a Clinical Nurse Specialist ranges between $50,800 and $106,530.

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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

Tools & Technologies Used by Clinical Nurse Specialists

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Clinical Nurse Specialists:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Web browser software
  • Email software
  • GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
  • Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR
  • eClinicalWorks
  • e-MDs software
  • SOAPware EMR
  • Allscripts Professional EHR
  • ChartWare EMR
  • NextGen Healthcare Information Systems EMR
  • MicroFour PracticeStudio.NET EMR
  • Cerner Millennium
  • SynaMed EMR
  • Texas Medical Software SpringCharts EMR
  • Amkai AmkaiCharts
  • StatCom Patient Flow Logistics Enterprise Suite

How do I Become a Clinical Nurse Specialist?

Are there Clinical Nurse Specialists education requirements?

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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Who Employs Clinical Nurse Specialists?

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Below are examples of industries where Clinical Nurse Specialists work:

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References:

Image Credit: Aleksahgabrielle via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

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