Clinical Nurse Specialist

A licensed registered nurse who has specialized in a nursing specialty is referred to as a clinical nurse specialist (CNS). The nurse in this case usually has a masters or a doctorate degree in his/her area of specialization. In addition to practicing their specialty, these nurses can also teach or be in a management position. There are several areas of specialization open to a clinical nurse specialist.

The main areas of specialization are: psychiatric, rehabilitation, a specific subculture group, women’s health or geriatrics. A clinical nurse specialist also helps family members by informing them as to how to take care of their sick members. Then there are clinical nurse specialists who move into a management role and help in molding the direction of patient care in the hospital. As far as practice settings go, clinical nurse specialists can practice either in hospitals, nursing homes, or various kinds of health care agencies. There are also clinical nurse specialists who teach in nursing colleges.