Clinical Nurse Specialists

Collaborate with other health care professionals and service providers to ensure optimal patient care.

Develop or assist others in development of care and treatment plans.

Provide consultation to other health care providers in areas such as patient discharge, patient care, or clinical procedures.

Develop and maintain departmental policies, procedures, objectives, or patient care standards, based on evidence-based practice guidelines or expert opinion.

Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.

Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice or organizational systems.

Develop, implement, or evaluate standards of nursing practice in specialty area such as pediatrics, acute care, and geriatrics.

Design evaluation programs regarding the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice or organizational systems.

Plan, evaluate, or modify treatment programs, based on information gathered by observing and interviewing patients or by analyzing patient records.

Direct or supervise nursing care staff in the provision of patient therapy.

Instruct nursing staff in areas such as the assessment, development, implementation and evaluation of disability, illness, management, technology, or resources.

Provide direct care by performing comprehensive health assessments, developing differential diagnoses, conducting specialized tests, or prescribing medications or treatments.

Design patient education programs that include information required to make informed health care and treatment decisions.

Monitor or evaluate medical conditions of patients in collaboration with other health care professionals.

Provide specialized direct and indirect care to inpatients and outpatients within a designated specialty, such as obstetrics, neurology, oncology, or neonatal care.

Make clinical recommendations to physicians, other health care providers, insurance companies, patients, or health care organizations.

Maintain departmental policies, procedures, objectives, or infection control standards.

Present clients with information required to make informed health care and treatment decisions.

Perform discharge planning for patients.

Identify training needs or conduct training sessions for nursing students or medical staff.

Lead nursing department implementation of, or compliance with, regulatory or accreditation processes.

Write nursing orders.

Observe, interview, and assess patients to identify care needs.

Participate in clinical research projects, such as by reviewing protocols, reviewing patient records, monitoring compliance, and meeting with regulatory authorities.

Chair nursing departments or committees.

Develop nursing service philosophies, goals, policies, priorities, or procedures.

Coordinate or conduct educational programs or in-service training sessions on topics such as clinical procedures.

Teach patient education programs that include information required to make informed health care and treatment decisions.

Prepare reports to document patients' care activities.

Provide coaching and mentoring to other caregivers to help facilitate their professional growth and development.