Resurgence of the Clinical Nurse Specialist in America’s Research Hospital and the Organizational Impact
Topic of Interest
Capture Value of the CNS
Abstract
The NIH is the nation’s largest research facility devoted to clinical research. At the NIH Clinical Center, the CNS spheres of impact is embedded into the NIH nursing department‘s mission: to provide clinical care for patients participating in clinical research studies within the intramural research program. As an integral team member, the CNS ensures the use of evidence-based decision-making and provides support for safe quality patient care through the design, coordination, implementation, and dissemination of clinical research. This is the unique mission of the CNS at the NIH.
In effort to further align expert skills, knowledge, and specialties of the CNS in a research environment, practice gaps were identified and resulted in an increase in patient safety and quality consultations, collaboration, and visibility on nursing and Clinical Center initiatives.
Over a period of two years, the vision of the CNO in redefining the role led to the resurgence of the position, securing the recognition of the CNS as an advanced practice nurse. This resulted in the successful recruitment of hard to fill CNS positions, organizational visibility, and recognition of the CNS as a practice expert leading to the development of the CNS Practice Model in a clinical research setting.