Clinical Nurse Specialists: Professional Framework and Qualifications

Abstract

Achieving enhanced healthcare quality by participating in cross-disciplinary medical teams and providing specialized, precision nursing are core professional values of clinical nurse specialists (CNSs). Although CNSs are crucial in the healthcare field, the development of CNSs in Taiwan remains in its infancy. The Taiwan Nurses Association has already announced regulations related to professional frameworks and scope of practice for advanced practice nurses and has reached a preliminary consensus and plans on the definition, qualifications, and indicators of care for CNSs. The clinical application, job titles, and certification of the professional core values of CNSs require continuous and joint deliberation and development by professional nurse organizations. In this study, the results of empirical research into professional organizational frameworks and certification of CNSs in Europe, the United States, and Australia were used to derive a reference model for CNS education and training development for advanced practice nurse specialties in Taiwan. The fundamental elements of the roles and professional frameworks and feasible qualification certification systems were also explored.