Clinical Nurse Specialist Education Research Articles

Integrating Antioppressive Pedagogy in Clinical Nurse Specialist Education.

Integrating Antioppressive Pedagogy in Clinical Nurse Specialist Education.

Considerations With Developing a Distance Clinical Nurse Specialist Education Program.

Mohr, Lynn D. PhD, APRN, PCNS-BC, CPN, FCNS; Dresser, Susan PhD, APRN-CNS, CCRN, FCNSEditor(s): Coke, Lola A. PhD, ACNS-BC, FAHA, FPCNA, FNAP, FAAN Author Information

Clinical Nurse Specialist: A Critical Member of the ICU Team

To describe the role of the clinical nurse specialist, an advanced practice registered nurse in the intensive care setting. The value and impact of the clinical nurse specialist role as a member of the ICU is presented along with a review of clinical nurse specialist education, licensure, and certification requirements as well as a description of the clinical nurse specialist role, scope of practice, and competencies. In addition, a selected review of clinical nurse specialist-led quality improvement and research that resulted in improved patient outcomes is provided. Review of published medical and nursing literature and expert opinion guidance from a collaborative effort between the Society of Critical Care Medicine, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, and National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists. Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable. The utilization of a clinical nurse specialist, an advanced practice role, in the ICU is a unique and valuable approach for organizations who strive to move evidence into sustainable practice and drive quality through an interprofessional approach. The valuable contributions made by the clinical nurse specialist efficiently and effectively meet the needs of patients, clinicians, and organizations while improving patient outcomes and optimizing cost avoidance strategies, which further lower economic demands on the healthcare system.

Clinical Nurse Specialist: A Critical Member of the ICU Team.

To describe the role of the clinical nurse specialist, an advanced practice registered nurse in the intensive care setting. The value and impact of the clinical nurse specialist role as a member of the ICU is presented along with a review of clinical nurse specialist education, licensure, and certification requirements as well as a description of the clinical nurse specialist role, scope of practice, and competencies. In addition, a selected review of clinical nurse specialist-led quality improvement and research that resulted in improved patient outcomes is provided. Review of published medical and nursing literature and expert opinion guidance from a collaborative effort between the Society of Critical Care Medicine, American Association of Critical Care Nurses, and National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists. Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable. The utilization of a clinical nurse specialist, an advanced practice role, in the ICU is a unique and valuable approach for organizations who strive to move evidence into sustainable practice and drive quality through an interprofessional approach. The valuable contributions made by the clinical nurse specialist efficiently and effectively meet the needs of patients, clinicians, and organizations while improving patient outcomes and optimizing cost avoidance strategies, which further lower economic demands on the healthcare system.

Clinical Nurse Specialist: A Critical Member of the ICU Team.

To describe the role of the clinical nurse specialist, an advanced practice registered nurse in the intensive care setting. The value and impact of the clinical nurse specialist role as a member of the ICU is presented along with a review of clinical nurse specialist education, licensure, and certification requirements as well as a description of the clinical nurse specialist role, scope of practice, and competencies. In addition, a selected review of clinical nurse specialist-led quality improvement and research that resulted in improved patient outcomes is provided. Review of published medical and nursing literature and expert opinion guidance from a collaborative effort between the Society of Critical Care Medicine, American Association of Critical Care Nurses, and National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists. Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable. The utilization of a clinical nurse specialist, an advanced practice role, in the ICU is a unique and valuable approach for organizations who strive to move evidence into sustainable practice and drive quality through an interprofessional approach. The valuable contributions made by the clinical nurse specialist efficiently and effectively meet the needs of patients, clinicians, and organizations while improving patient outcomes and optimizing cost avoidance strategies, which further lower economic demands on the healthcare system.

Integrating Entrepreneurial Skills Into Clinical Nurse Specialist Education: The Need for Improved Marketing, Negotiation, and Conflict Resolution Skills.

Author Affiliations: Associate Professor and AP-CNS-DNP Program Track Coordinator, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland. The author reports no conflicts of interest. Correspondence: Lola A. Coke, PhD, ACNS-BC, RN-BC, FAHA, FPCNA, FAAN, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, 525 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205 ([email protected]).

Role Transition After Clinical Nurse Specialist Education.

This study explored the transition of clinical nurse specialists into new roles after completion of their graduate education. A quantitative longitudinal survey was used to measure certification, employment, career commitment, and the imposter phenomenon. An online survey was sent to 113 participants from a previous national study that agreed to follow-up. The Student Nurse Anesthetist Experience Questionnaire and Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale instruments were used. Each case (N = 68) was matched with data from the primary study, and 2 comparison groups were formed based on employment status as a clinical nurse specialist. The advanced practice certification rate was 66.7%, and 48.5% were employed as a clinical nurse specialist. The employed group perceived more autonomy, a more positive view of the clinical nurse specialist lifestyle, and upset life plans if not able to practice in the role when compared with the not-employed group. Self-image was significantly different based on employment, but career commitment was not particularly strong regardless of employment status. The prevalence of imposter phenomenon experiences was 74.6% in this sample. Recent graduates are struggling with their transition into practice as clinical nurse specialists.

Research Priorities for Nursing Education: Application to Clinical Nurse Specialist Education.

Author Affiliation: President and Chief Executive Officer, CJT Consulting & Education, South Fork, Colorado. The author reports no conflicts of interest. Correspondence: Cathy J. Thompson, PhD, RN, CCNS, CNE, CJT Consulting & Education, PO Box 1263, South Fork, CO 81154 ([email protected]).

Integrating Geropsychiatric Nursing and Interprofessional Collaborative Practice Competencies Into Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Education.

Specific changes to the national clinical nurse specialist (CNS) certification are necessitating a move away the psychiatric/mental health (P/MH) CNS population focus. However, a rapidly increasing older adult population with P/MH comorbidities such as depression and anxiety means that the adult-gerontology CNS (AGCNS) will likely be coordinating much of the complex care needs of this vulnerable population. Therefore, strategies are needed to ensure AGCNSs are competent in advanced practice P/MH nursing. In addition, at this critical time in the redesign of healthcare, the Institute of Medicine has made interprofessional practice center stage for healthcare professional education. Therefore, the purpose of this manuscript is to propose aligning the current AGCNS population-focused competencies with the CNS geropsychiatric nursing competency enhancements and interprofessional collaborative practice education competencies. Examples of the proposed alignment and educational application strategies are presented. When AGCNS educational curricula encompass P/MH nursing at an advanced level from an interprofessional perspective, future AGCNSs will continue to be positioned to make significant contributions to the design of care systems and monitor and trend important outcomes, while ensuring safe and efficient, high-quality healthcare for older adults with P/MH comorbidities.

Use of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination in Clinical Nurse Specialist Education.

Helping patients maximize their potential using expert coaching to facilitate lifestyle change is an important practice area for clinical nurse specialists (CNSs). The purpose is to determine the usefulness of objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) for evaluating CNS students' coaching competencies in the context of facilitating lifestyle change. Despite the use of OSCEs to assess competencies in clinical skills (eg, performance of procedures, decision making), its potential for evaluating coaching competencies for lifestyle change has not been demonstrated. We developed 4 OSCEs dealing with coaching patients in exercise, weight loss, stress reduction, or nonpharmacologic management of hyperlipidemia. Evaluation criteria included (1) approach to the patient, (2) information gathering, (3) motivational interviewing, and (4) management (medical and behavioral strategies). Student performance ranged from highly organized with proficient coaching skills to disorganized and focused solely on clinical management and prescriptive communication. Student responses were positive. Objective structured clinical examinations were highly useful for evaluating CNS students' coaching competencies for lifestyle change. Using OSCEs early in the semester to provide students feedback on their performance and again at the end to determine improvement optimizes use of this teaching strategy.

Challenges in Clinical Nurse Specialist Education and Practice

Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) are well-positioned to participate in the transformation of healthcare as outlined by the Institute of Medicine and called upon by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. CNSs exercise their expertise through population-based care across three spheres of influence (patient/family, nurses/other professionals, systems). However, challenges during the educational process as well as implementation in practice can be barriers to optimization of the role, denying the public full benefit from the potential of CNSs. This article highlights some of the issues and provides solutions for mitigating these difficulties.

Keep your patient safe when transfusing PRBCs

Assistant Professor of Nursing • Winston Salem State University • Winston Salem, N.C. Clinical Nurse Specialist—Education • Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center • Winston Salem, N.C. The author has disclosed that she has no significant relationship with or financial interest in any commercial companies that pertain to this educational activity.

Clinical Nurse Specialist Education

The purpose of this article was to show how sequenced educational strategies aid in the acquisition of systems leadership and change agent skills, as well as other essential skills for professional clinical nurse specialist (CNS) practice. Clinical nurse specialist education offers the graduate student both didactic and clinical experiences to help the student transition into the CNS role. Clinical nurse specialist faculty have a responsibility to prepare students for the realities of advanced practice. Systems leadership is an integral competency of CNS practice. The contemporary CNS is to be a leader in the translation of evidence into practice. To assist students to acquire this competency, all CNS students are expected to use research and other sources of evidence to identify, design, implement, and evaluate a specific practice change. Anecdotal comments from students completing the projects are offered. Student projects have been focused in acute and critical care, palliative care, and adult/gerontologic health clinical settings; community outreach has been the focus of a few change projects. Examples of student projects related to the systems leadership competency and correlated to the spheres of influence impacted are presented.

Designing Podcasts for Clinical Nurse Specialist Education

Designing Podcasts for Clinical Nurse Specialist Education

The Evolution of Clinical Nurse Specialist Education at Widener University

The Evolution of Clinical Nurse Specialist Education at Widener University

Developing an Empirical Base for Clinical Nurse Specialist Education

This article reports on the design of a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) education program using National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) CNS competencies to guide CNS program clinical competency expectations and curriculum outcomes. The purpose is to contribute to the development of an empirical base for education and credentialing of CNSs. The NACNS CNS core competencies and practice competencies in all 3 spheres of influence guided the creation of clinical competency grids for this university's practicum courses. This project describes the development, testing, and application of these clinical competency grids that link the program's CNS clinical courses with the NACNS CNS competencies. These documents guide identification, tracking, measurement, and evaluation of the competencies throughout the clinical practice portion of the CNS program. This ongoing project will continue to provide data necessary to the benchmarking of CNS practice competencies, which is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of direct practice performance and the currency of graduate nursing education.

In Search of Advanced Clinical Nurse Specialist Education

In Search of Advanced Clinical Nurse Specialist Education

Expanding Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Nurse Specialist Education

Programs educating advanced practice nurses (APNs), including acute care nurse practitioners (ACNPs) and clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) may struggle with the degree to which technical and cognitive skills necessary and unique to the care of critically ill patients should be incorporated within training programs, and the best ways these skills can be synthesized and retained for clinical practice. This article describes the critical care technical skills training mechanisms and use of a High-Fidelity Human Simulation (HFHS) Laboratory in the ACNP and CNS programs at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing. The mechanisms for teaching invasive procedures are reviewed including an abbreviated course syllabus and documentation tools. The use of HFHS is discussed as a measure to provide students with technical and cognitive preparation to manage critical incidents. The HFHS Laboratory, scenario development and implementation, and the debriefing process are discussed. Critical care technical skills training and the use of simulation in the curriculum have had a favorable response from students and preceptors at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, and have enhanced faculty's ability to prepare APNs.

Guidelines for Clinical Nurse Specialist Education

A recent survey of clinical nurse specialist (CNS) programs found significant differences among the programs in the number of classroom and clinical hours required and some variation in curricular content. To address these differences, the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) developed Guidelines for Clinical Nurse Specialist Education and charged the Education Committee of NACNS with testing and refining them. This article describes the methods used by the Education Committee to test and refine the Guidelines and presents the finalized document. The 18 Guidelines provide quality indicators for CNS programs in the areas of organization and faculty, program admissions, curriculum, clinical resources and experiences, and program evaluation. NACNS recommends that these Guidelines be used in addition to accreditation standards to evaluate CNS programs and to guide development of new CNS programs.

A transcultural core course in the clinical nurse specialist curriculum.

For the nursing profession, the delivery of culturally congruent care must become a priority. Clinical nurse specialists are in a key position to promote change; however, formal preparation in transcultural care is urgently needed. Nurse educators are challenged to prepare clinical nurse specialists who are equipped to provide quality care to culturally diverse individuals and to collaborate with a multicultural workforce. The purpose of this article is to describe a transcultural core course in the clinical nurse specialist adult health curriculum. The course explores current issues in pluralism, diversity, and healthcare in relationship to clinical nurse specialist competencies. The article addresses the course components, including objectives, topics, teaching strategies, assignments, bibliography, class Web page, and course evaluation. A unique component is the evaluation of students' self-efficacy perceptions (confidence) concerning culture care of diverse individuals as measured by a psychometrically valid instrument, the Transcultural Self-Efficacy Tool. The article concludes with future implications for clinical nurse specialist education.