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Clinical Nurse Specialist

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What Do Clinical Nurse Specialist Do?

Example of Clinical Nurse Specialist Job Plan, direct, or coordinate the daily patient care activities in a clinical practice. Ensure adherence to established clinical policies, protocols, regulations, and standards.

List of Clinical Nurse Specialist Job Duties

  • Design evaluation programs regarding the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice or organizational systems.
  • Instruct nursing staff in areas such as the assessment, development, implementation and evaluation of disability, illness, management, technology, or resources.
  • 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.
  • Chair nursing departments or committees.
  • Perform discharge planning for patients.

What Every Clinical Nurse Specialist Should Know

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.

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

  • Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Public Health Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Clinical Nurse
  • Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Intensive Care Unit Clinical Nurse Specialist

Are There Job Opportunities for Clinical Nurse Specialists?

There were about 2,955,200 jobs for Clinical Nurse Specialist in 2016 (in the United States). 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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 203,700 job openings in this field each 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.

Clinical Nurse Specialist 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.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Clinical Nurse Specialists 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
  • 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?

Individuals working as a Clinical Nurse Specialist have obtained the following education levels:

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How Long Does it Take to Become a Clinical Nurse Specialist?

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Where do Clinical Nurse Specialists Work?

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The table below shows the approximate number of Clinical Nurse Specialists employed by various industries.

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Similar Careers

Those thinking about becoming a Clinical Nurse Specialist might also be interested in the following careers:

References:

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

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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