Clinical Nurse Specialist

SUMMARY:

The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is a Registered Nurse who, through advanced academic and clinical specialty-practice preparation, is an expert in a defined area of knowledge and clinical practice. Participates in nursing practice management of select complex patients and aggregate patient populations in collaboration with health-care team members in accordance with professional practice standards and Bryan Medical Center policies. Serves as a catalyst to promote evidence-based practice to improve patient and family outcomes along the care continuum. Holds five interactive role accountabilities: advanced clinical practice, patient outcomes research, leadership, consultation, and education. Internal and external to Bryan Medical Center, the CNS builds and strengthens relationships with nurses, physicians and health-care leaders in various settings and collectively influences outcomes and "best practice."

Supervises Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, and/or other support staff in the delivery of patient care as described in Nebraska Statute 38.

PRINCIPAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Commits to the mission, vision, beliefs and consistently demonstrates our core values.
• Identifies priority health-care needs of individuals, aggregate patient populations, families, and/or communities within designated specialty practice.
• Provides routine or urgent care management for complex, high-risk patients/families to improve patient outcomes, investigate clinical practice issues, generate clinical study/research questions, develop new clinical modalities or improve systems in a quality-conscious, cost-effective manner.
• Utilizes evidence-based practice to improve clinical practice and/or patient population-specific outcomes; provides leadership for performance improvement initiatives.
• Establishes, implements, and evaluates goals related to the strategic plan and practice initiatives.
• Serves as a consultant to ensure continuity of care, "best practice," and systems improvement for nurses, patients/families, health-care disciplines, and/or the community at-large.
• Identifies learning needs of target groups, and facilitates/provides education that promotes practice improvement and professional growth.
• Commits to self-directed professional development for knowledge, competence and experience in specialty practice area (e.g., memberships in professional and specialty-practice organizations, networking).

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Current Registered Nurse licensure from the State of Nebraska or approved compact state of residence as defined by the Nebraska Nurse Practice Act required. Advanced nursing degree with a masters or doctorate in nursing and experience with advanced practice preparation in area of specialization required. APRN - Clinical Nurse Specialist licensure from the State of Nebraska required. Specialty certification preferred. Minimum of three (3) years in clinical practice specialty required.

Basic Life Support (CPR) certification required. Bryan Health recognizes American Heart Association (for healthcare professionals), American Red Cross (for healthcare professionals) and the Military Training Network.