Overview

The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is an advanced practice nurse and clinical leader for a mixed inpatient unit with emphasis on stroke care, epilepsy management, and medical-surgical telemetry. The CNS drives high-quality, evidence-based, patient-centered care across the continuum and serves as an expert resource for patients, families, nursing staff, and the interdisciplinary team. This role supports Magnet principles, quality outcomes, and professional nursing practice.

Responsibilities

I. DIRECT CARE

1. Conducts comprehensive, holistic, and illness assessments using known or innovative evidence-based techniques, tools, and direct or indirect methods.

2. Employs evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to guide screening and diagnosis.

3. Assesses the effects of interactions among the individual, family, community, and social systems on health and wellness.

4. Identifies potential risks to patient safety, autonomy and quality of care based on assessments across the patient, nurse and systems spheres of influence.

5. Assesses the impact of the environment/system factors on care.

6. Designs strategies, including advanced nursing therapies to meet the multifaceted needs of complex patients and groups of patients.

7. Develops evidenced-based clinical interventions and systems to achieve defined patient and system outcomes.

8. Uses advanced communication skills within therapeutic relationships to improve patient outcomes.

9. Provides direct care to selected patients based on the needs of the patient and the CNS's specialty knowledge and skills.

10. Assists staff in the development of innovative, cost-effective programs or protocols of care. 11. Determines when evidenced-based guidelines, policies, procedures and plan of care need to be tailored to the individual.

12. Provides leadership for collaborative, evidence-based revision of diagnosis and plans of care to improve patient outcomes.

14 Partnership with the Department of Nursing Education in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating educational programming to ensure the desired outcomes are achieved.

V. COACHING

1. Coaches' patients and families to help navigate the healthcare system.
2. Provides education to individuals, families, groups and communities to promote knowledge, understanding and optimal functioning across the wellness-illness continuum.
3. Contributes to the advancement of the profession as a whole by disseminating outcomes of CNS practice through presentations and publications
4. Mentors staff nurses, graduate students and others to acquire new knowledge and skills and to develop their careers.
5. Provides leadership in conflict management and negotiation to address problems in the healthcare system.

VI. RESEARCH

1. Analyzes research findings and other evidence for their potential application to clinical practice.

2. Applies principles of evidenced based practice and quality improvement to all patient care activities.

3. Fosters an interdisciplinary approach to quality improvement and evidenced-based practice.

4. Provides leadership in the design, implementation and evaluation of process improvement initiatives.

VII. ETHICAL DECISION MAKING, MORAL AGENCY AND ADVOCACY

1. Engages in a formal self-evaluation process, seeking feedback regarding own practice, from patients,

peers, and professional colleagues.

2. Fosters accountability in self and or others.

3. Promotes a work environment conducive to the delivery of ethical care.

4. Facilitates interdisciplinary teamwork in addressing ethical concerns, risk or considerations, benefits and outcomes for the improvement of nursing practice.

OTHER JOB DUTIES

Attends meetings and nursing committees as required.

Participates in educational programs and in-service meetings.

Keeps up to date with current trends pertinent to area of assignment.

Performs other related duties as required.

Qualifications

Required:

• Master's degree in Nursing with Clinical Nurse Specialist preparation.
• Current Registered Professional Nurse license in New York State.
• Current Clinical Nurse Specialist license in New York State.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of recent clinical experience in stroke, neurology, medical-surgical, or telemetry nursing.

Preferred :

• CNS board certification in a relevant specialty.
• NIHSS certification.
• Specialty certification (e.g., neuroscience, stroke, or medical-surgical nursing).
• Experience in a Magnet-designated or Journey to Magnet organization.
• Doctoral degree in Nursing (DNP, PhD, or EdD).

Pay Range

USD $130,000.00 - USD $140,000.00 /Yr.