Job Summary

The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is the clinical lead for a program or an area of defined nursing practice. The CNS oversees clinical practice in a service line/population of expertise (including oversight and collaboration at a system level with all other campuses with like specialty area/population). The CNS collaborates with nurse educators in their specialty area/population and is a consultant to other departments in their specialty area/population. The CNS provides leadership in order to integrate new knowledge and innovation within a specialty area. The CNS functions at both microsystem and system levels within the three spheres of influence: patient, staff and organization. Functions within the subroles of consultant, educator, researcher, collaborator and expert clinician. The CNS and Nursing Director collaborate to lead clinical practice and education on the unit, within the division, and across the health system. A critical component of the CNS role is to generate and evaluate evidence for practice. The CNS contributes to the advancement of nursing practice at the unit/system, local, state and national levels. The CNS is instrumental in the application of the Professional Practice Model across the health system. The CNS assists in the advancement of the professional practice environment by communicating the NGHS nursing strategic initiatives and focusing on activities that support the nursing strategic direction. Provides nursing involvement support for Professional Nursing Governance Council (PNGC) and the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) quality teams.

Minimum Job Qualifications

• Licensure or other certifications: Licensed to practice as an APRN in Georgia. Board certified as Clinical Nurse Specialist.

• Educational Requirements: Masters Degree as a Clinical Nurse Specialist.

• Minimum Experience: Five (5) years in nursing practice with at least three (3) years of recent experience in service line/population of expertise.

• Other: Professional organization membership within one month of hire into the role.

Preferred Job Qualifications

• Preferred Licensure or other certifications:

• Preferred Educational Requirements: Doctoral Degree in Nursing.

• Preferred Experience:

• Other:

Job Specific and Unique Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Assess, plan and evaluate patients, staff and organization/system for structure, process and outcomes.

• Affect patient care by intervening in complex cases, providing support to nursing staff members.

• Designing and evaluating programs of care, and working on projects at the unit, department, division, institution or system levels.

• Active consultant, liaison and advocate between the organization, patients and patient's family members.

• Supports professional shared governance at the unit level through unit based practice councils and at the organization level by attending meetings and utilizing clinical expertise.

• Involved in the development of policies and procedures with a system focus.

Essential Tasks and Responsibilities

• Advances practice of nursing by implementing innovative alternatives to patient care issues.

• Serves as an expert clinician in the delivery of patient care.

• Assist in the provision of care in accordance with the facility, state and federal regulations.

• Integrates research, evidence based practice and quality improvement into the clinical environment.

• Develops, coordinates, implements and evaluates educational programs for patients, families, staff and the community.

• Works collaboratively with multi-disciplinary teams, as a change agent to develop system performance standards to improve patient outcomes.

• Partners with academic affiliations to facilitate academic growth of students and staff.

• Supports continued professional growth of staff and students by functioning as a mentor and preceptor.

Physical Demands

• Weight Lifted: Up to 20 lbs, Occasionally 0-30% of time

• Weight Carried: Up to 20 lbs, Occasionally 0-30% of time

• Vision: Heavy, Constantly 66-100% of time

• Kneeling/Stooping/Bending: Frequently 31-65%

• Standing/Walking: Frequently 31-65%
  Pushing/Pulling: Frequently 31-65%

• Intensity of Work: Frequently 31-65%

• Job Requires: Reading, Writing, Reasoning, Talking, Keyboarding, Driving