What is a clinical nurse specialist (CNS)? A CNS is a type of advanced practice registered nurse who uses advanced nursing knowledge to treat patients, mentor fellow nurses and improve health care delivery. Thinking about how to become a clinical nurse specialist? You’ll first need a BSN.
Some nurses focus on providing direct patient care, while others work on impacting the overall health care organization. A clinical nurse specialist (CNS) can do both while mentoring fellow nurses. If you love the idea of continuing to work with patients yet still want to effect change on a larger scale, then learning how to become a clinical nurse specialist could be a good move for you.
Before you can embark on the specialized pathway of a clinical nurse specialist, however, you’ll need to become a registered nurse (RN). If you already have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, you won’t need to spend four more years to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Instead, you might be eligible for Notre Dame of Maryland University’s Accelerated 2nd Degree BSN (ABSN) program.
Before exploring how to become a clinical nurse specialist, you’ll first need to understand what the role entails. Then, you can get started working on the academic credentials and licensure requirements.
What Is a Clinical Nurse Specialist?
A CNS is a type of advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), meaning they have advanced academic credentials, training and certification. Because of this, they can practice with greater autonomy.
Aspiring nurses should understand the different levels of nursing so they can plan their career pathways.
What is a clinical nurse specialist, specifically? A CNS provides direct patient care within their chosen nursing specialty, applying their high level of expertise and clinical experience to complex health problems. CNS providers also work as consultants or coaches to their fellow nurses, advising them on patient health issues and evidence-based best practices.
In addition, a CNS can work to optimize the overall health care organization, including its practices and policies, and, in general, advance nursing practice in order to improve patient outcomes.
What Does a Clinical Nurse Specialist Do?
Before learning how to become a clinical nurse specialist, you might be curious about what a day in the life of a CNS looks like. What does a clinical nurse specialist do, exactly? Their tasks vary but can include the following:
- Administer medications and treatments
- Assess patients
- Deliver patient and caregiver education
- Order diagnostic tests
- Provide mentorship and guidance to other nurses
- Evaluate health care delivery within the organization, identify opportunities for improvement and implement changes to promote better patient outcomes
Clinical nurse specialists can choose from a variety of nursing specialties, such as women’s health, pediatrics, critical care, emergency medicine and oncology. Some might become nurse researchers or consultants, while others become nurse educators.
Pathway of a Clinical Nurse Specialist
If the job description of a CNS interests you, you might be curious about the best colleges for a clinical nurse specialist. At NDMU, you can start by earning your BSN to kick off your career in nursing.
What Bachelor’s Degree Do You Need to Be a CNS?
Although it’s possible to become a registered nurse with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), an aspiring CNS needs a graduate degree in nursing. Eligibility for graduate school includes having a bachelor’s degree, so you’ll want to enroll in a BSN program.
Notre Dame of Maryland University’s ABSN program allows those with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree to leverage their prior education. It’s possible to earn a second degree in nursing in as few as 15 months following successful completion of any needed prerequisites.
If you’re accepted, you can choose from online or in-person coursework. The classes will provide a firm foundation in nursing concepts. You’ll also visit the learning site for in-person nursing skills and simulation labs. In nursing skills labs, you’ll practice nursing skills like wound care and patient assessments. In simulation labs, you’ll work in groups to assess and treat high-tech medical manikins, which are able to simulate real patient responses.
The nursing school curriculum also includes a series of clinical rotations, during which you’ll work shifts at nearby health care facilities under the supervision of your nursing instructors. You’ll gain hands-on experience working with patients in a clinical environment.
There are 3 keystone best practices you can use to be successful in nursing school.
Pass the NCLEX and Obtain a License
After graduating with your BSN, you’ll be eligible to sit for the NCLEX, the national licensure exam required of all aspiring RNs in the U.S. The exam is quite rigorous, but your nursing education at NDMU will prepare you thoroughly for it. In addition, you’ll be able to work one-on-one with our Academic Success Coaches. Once you pass the NCLEX, you can obtain a state-issued nursing license.
Gain Clinical Experience
The next step toward becoming a CNS is gaining clinical experience at the bedside as an RN. Look for a job in the nursing specialty that interests you the most, whether that be pediatrics, critical care or elsewhere. If you can’t find a position right away in your chosen specialty, you might want to accept a position in a similar specialty while continuing to look for your ideal job.
Earn a Graduate Nursing Degree
After you’ve gained a few years of clinical experience in your preferred nursing specialty, you’ll be ready to head back to school to further your expertise. An aspiring CNS needs either a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). It will take longer to earn a DNP than an MSN, but you may find that you’ll have more opportunities available to you with a DNP.
Whichever degree program you choose, be sure it offers a concentration that aligns with your nursing specialty. It should also be an accredited degree program that includes the minimum number of clinical experience hours required by your state and the credentialing organization.
Obtain a CNS Certification
With a graduate degree, you’ll be ready to pursue CNS certification. Apply to take a board certification exam for clinical nurse specialists through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). After passing the board certification exam, you can apply for an APRN license from your state board of nursing.
Get Started on Your CNS Pathway at NDMU
Notre Dame of Maryland University delivers values-based nursing education designed to graduate highly competent and compassionate nurses prepared to become leaders within their organizations. With our ABSN program, you can earn your BSN in as few as 15 months and be prepared to sit for the NCLEX before launching your nursing career.
You’ll benefit from exceptional student support at NDMU, with Academic Success Coaches and dedicated nursing instructors. Plus, unlike many other ABSN programs, you’ll be able to choose from either online or in-person coursework, so you can learn however best suits you.
Contact our admissions team today to find out if you could be eligible for our ABSN program. You’ll be assigned to a dedicated admissions advisor who will walk you through the process step by step.