[hen-ui-dynamic-experience placement=”aboveTheFold” /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]What Does a Clinical Nurse Specialist Do?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]CNSs provide patient care in a specialty area, including adult-gerontology, [hen-ui-link href=”/nurse-practitioner/fnp/”]family practice[/hen-ui-link], neonatal, pediatrics, psychiatric mental health, and women’s health. They collaborate with other nurses and medical staff, serving largely in leadership roles such as nurse educators, researchers, advisors, and policy advocates.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]CNSs often perform the following responsibilities:[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-dynamic-experience placement=”belowTheFold” /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Where Do Clinical Nurse Specialists Work?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]More than a third of CNSs work in hospitals with acute care patients, nearly 30% find employment in academic health centers, and 10% choose nursing education in academia. The list below highlights typical roles and responsibilities.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-list variant=”unordered” bullet-style=”bullet”] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-flex direction=”column” gap=”xxs”] [hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″][hen-ui-icon icon=”minus” color=”primary” aria-hidden=”true” /]Hospital – Acute Care[/hen-ui-heading] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]CNSs direct patient care, manage acute care and improvement, and supervise and educate nursing staff.[/hen-ui-text] [/hen-ui-flex][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-flex direction=”column” gap=”xxs”] [hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″][hen-ui-icon icon=”minus” color=”primary” aria-hidden=”true” /]Academic Health Center – Acute Care[/hen-ui-heading] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]CNSs provide acute care consultation, implement evidence-based practice, and evaluate nursing students.[/hen-ui-text] [/hen-ui-flex][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-flex direction=”column” gap=”xxs”] [hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″][hen-ui-icon icon=”minus” color=”primary” aria-hidden=”true” /]Nursing Education – Academia[/hen-ui-heading] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]CNSs lecture and instruct courses, design curriculum, and conduct research on best practices.[/hen-ui-text] [/hen-ui-flex][/hen-ui-list-item][/hen-ui-list][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]What Is the Difference Between a Clinical Nurse Specialist and a Nurse Practitioner?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]While their duties may overlap, the [hen-ui-link href=”/resources//np-vs-cns/”]differences between CNSs and nurse practitioners[/hen-ui-link] (NPs) lie in their practice focuses. Generally, NPs work on teams of healthcare providers to perform advanced nursing care. CNSs manage, educate, and facilitate safe and optimal practices within healthcare systems. In [hen-ui-link href=”https://www.ncsbn.org/nursing-regulation/practice/aprn/campaign-for-consensus/aprn-consensus-implementation-status/cns-independent-prescribing-map.page” target=”_blank”]some states[/hen-ui-link], CNSs can practice and prescribe independently.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]How to Become a Clinical Nurse Specialist[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]The steps listed below outline the process to [hen-ui-link href=”/clinical-nurse-specialist/how-to-become/”]become a CNS[/hen-ui-link]. Although a master of science in nursing (MSN) is the current minimum degree, the [hen-ui-link href=”https://nacns.org/advocacy-policy/position-statements/position-statement-on-the-doctor-of-nursing-practice/” target=”_blank”]National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists[/hen-ui-link] (NACNS) endorses a shift to the DNP by 2030.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]How Much Do Clinical Nurse Specialists Make?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]PayScale lists the [hen-ui-link href=”https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Clinical_Nurse_Specialist_(CNS)/Salary” target=”_blank”]average base salary[/hen-ui-link] for CNSs as $100,392 per year. Bonuses and other benefits, if offered, bring the total pay amount to $68,000-$140,000. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual salary of $125,900 for APRNs and references CNSs as being equivalent to APRNs.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Location impacts salaries. According to PayScale, CNSs in San Francisco earn 45% more than the U.S. average, followed by Los Angeles (21% more) and Seattle (20% more). However, Milwaukee CNSs make 16.5% less than the national average.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-article-card title=”Find State-Specific Salary Data Here” href=”/nurse-practitioner/” size=”compact” border=”stroke”][/hen-ui-article-card][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Frequently Asked Questions[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]Why should clinical nurse specialists earn a DNP?[/hen-ui-heading] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]The [hen-ui-link href=”https://nacns.org/advocacy-policy/position-statements/position-statement-on-the-doctor-of-nursing-practice/” target=”_blank”]NACNS position statement[/hen-ui-link] endorses the DNP as the minimum degree needed to become a CNS. The NACNS cites the future direction of nursing practice and increasingly complex patient needs as its reasons to advocate for doctoral-level advanced practice nurse training.[/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]What are the most popular certifications for clinical nurse specialists?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]According [hen-ui-link href=”https://nacns.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/NACNS-Census-Infographic-FINAL-10.23.19.pdf” target=”_blank”]to NACNS[/hen-ui-link], adult health/gerontology is the most popular certification specialty, with more than 75% of CNSs opting for this credential. The remaining specialties include pediatrics (9%), family practice (5%), psychiatric/mental health (4%), women’s health/gender specific (4%), and neonatal (3%).[/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]Can clinical nurse specialists prescribe medication?[/hen-ui-heading] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]State laws determine whether and how CNSs can [hen-ui-link href=”https://nacns.org/advocacy-policy/policies-affecting-cnss/scope-of-practice/” target=”_blank”]prescribe medication[/hen-ui-link]. A number of states allow independent prescriptive authority, but some only permit psychiatric CNSs to prescribe independently. Many states require supervision by or a collaborative agreement with a physician; others do not allow CNSs to prescribe at all.[/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]Where do NNPs work?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]The [hen-ui-link href=”https://www.acenursing.org/” target=”_blank”]Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing[/hen-ui-link] and the [hen-ui-link href=”https://www.aacnnursing.org/CCNE” target=”_blank”]Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education[/hen-ui-link] are the primary organizations that regularly evaluate CNS training curriculums to ensure they provide a high-quality education that complies with licensing and certification standards. State licensure and certification boards along with many employers require degrees from accredited programs.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Resources for Clinical Nurse Specialists[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-list variant=”unordered” bullet-style=”check”] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″][hen-ui-link href=”https://nacns.org/” target=”_blank”] National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-heading] NACNS hosts a national conference, posts news briefs and job listings, provides insurance discounts, and publishes an online journal and newsletter for its CNS membership. Nursing students can join at a discounted rate. Other membership levels include practicing CNS, retiree, and associate.[/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″][hen-ui-link href=”https://nacns.org/professional-resources/toolkits-and-reports/cost-analysis-toolkit/” target=”_blank”] NACNS Cost Analysis Toolkit[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-heading] NACNS toolkit serves as a business guide for CNSs, offering strategies for implementing cost-analysis tools to quantify and describe the contributions CNSs make to healthcare improvement. The guide includes a cost-analysis process checklist, a comprehensive literature review, resources, and frequently asked questions.[/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″][hen-ui-link href=”https://www.aacn.org/certification/get-certified” target=”_blank”] American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Certifications[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-heading] AACN offers certification in several areas for the adult, adult-gerontology, pediatric, and neonatal patient populations, including acute/critical care nursing, acute/critical care knowledge professional, progressive care nursing, and CNS wellness through acute care. It also offers credentials in TeleICU acute/critical care nursing and adult cardiac medicine and cardiac surgery.[/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″] American Nurses Credentialing Center Certification[/hen-ui-heading] ANCCs certification options for all nurses include an adult-gerontology clinical nurse specialist credential. Candidates with an RN license, a graduate nursing degree from an accredited adult-gerontology CNS program with 500 supervised clinical hours, and listed prerequisite coursework can apply to take the 3.5-hour exam.[/hen-ui-list-item][/hen-ui-list][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Related Pages[/hen-ui-heading] [hen-ui-article-row variant=”slider” ids=”34056,34051,34248,34148″][/hen-ui-article-row][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Reviewed by:[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-flex direction=”column” gap=”lg”][hen-ui-expert-bio name=”Dr. Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph.D., RN, CRNA” img-src=”https://res.cloudinary.com/highereducation/image/upload/c_fill,g_face,h_300,w_300,f_auto,fl_lossy,q_auto:eco/e_grayscale/v1584478836/experts/debra-weatherspoon-circled.png” img-alt=”Dr. Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph.D., RN, CRNA” layout=”horizontal” background=”white” /][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ slot=”contentRight”]Dr. Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph.D., RN, CRNA is an advanced practice nurse. She graduated with a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She is currently a university nursing educator and has authored multiple publications. She has also presented at national and international levels about medical and leadership issues. She enjoys walking, reading, traveling to new places, and spending time with her family.[/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ slot=”contentRight”]Weatherspoon is a paid member of our Healthcare Review Partner Network. [hen-ui-link href=”/healthcare-review-partners//”]Learn more about our review partners[/hen-ui-link].[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-flex]