Clinical Nurse Specialist, Registered Nurse, Neurosciences

Clinical Nurse Specialist

A Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) prepared at a graduate level. The CNS improves outcomes by providing direct, advanced-practice patient care, leading evidence-based nursing practice, and optimizing organizational systems. The CNS can diagnose, prescribe, and treat patients and specialty populations across the continuum of care. The CNS serves as a leader in redesigning systems to improve access, quality, and safety in a cost-effective manner.

Key Accountabilities:

Direct Patient Care

• Conducts comprehensive wellness and illness assessments.
• Provides interventions to prevent or treat illness
• Uses advanced communication skills to address complex situations.
• Educates, guides, and coaches patients, families, and caregivers to establish patient-centered plans of care
• Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team.

Nursing/Nursing Practice

• Utilizes evidence-based practices to guide nursing practice
• Develops population profiles and conducts clinical inquiries to determine the need to change practice.
• Utilizes advanced clinical knowledge and communication skills through role modeling, consultation, and education with nurses and healthcare providers
• Creates and modifies evidence-based policies, procedures, protocols, and best practice models/guidelines
• Assists nurses and the interprofessional team to evaluate and change practice standards

Organization/Systems:

• Leads systematic quality improvement and safety initiatives
• Drives translation of best evidence into practice and facilitates integration of multiple programs and disciplines
• Collects and analyzes data while utilizing collaborative systems-thinking
• Advocates for the improvement of health care
• Utilizes expert leadership skills to influence policymakers and advocate for equitable healthcare.
• Leads discovery of innovations in patient care.
• Participates as members and leaders in state/national and specialty nursing/healthcare organizations

Work Experience

• Current, unrestricted Maryland certification as a CNS
• Graduation from an accredited CNS program (Reference COMAR 10.27.27.02[B] for CNSs who graduated prior to October 1, 2012)
• Master's degree, Post Master's Certificate, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and/or PhD
• Current, national CNS certification recognized by the Maryland Board of Nursing
• Current, unrestricted Maryland licensure as a Registered Nurse
• Two or more years of nursing experience in the area of practice is preferred.

University of Maryland Medical Center