Connect

National Clinical Nurse Specialist Recognition Week (CNS Week), Sept. 1-7, is an annual event that acknowledges the contributions of the nearly 90,000 CNSs in North America. The CNS role is complex and multifaceted. They have been a vital part of the healthcare industrial complex for more than 60 years. One of the four Advanced Practice Registered Nurse categories, a CNS’s specialty may be identified in terms of a population (e.g., pediatrics or women’s health), a setting (e.g., ED or critical care), a disease (e.g., Diabetes), type of care (e.g., psychiatric), or type of problem (e.g., pain, waste reduction). Following recent VA legislation advances this past year, they gained prescriptive privileges at UVA Health via collaborative agreements with physician partners. With graduate or doctoral-level education and training, clinical nurse specialists are uniquely prepared to assess, analyze, and improve the business of healthcare while putting the patient first. Regardless of specialty or setting, CNSs provide leadership in clinical expertise, nursing practice, and systems innovation.

Over the course of this pandemic, our CNS group demonstrated an exceptional depth of flexibility, expertise, and collaboration. Each CNS adapted to the needs of both the populations served and organization on a micro- and macro-system level, displaying the flexibility and diversity of the role. Moving within the three spheres of impact (patient, nursing, and system) as the guiding framework, each competency related to the CNS role was used. From designing population-based programs of care to advancing the practice of nursing as a leader and change agent, the CNS team used evidence-based practices to direct care and lead interprofessional teams to meet the rapidly evolving needs of the patients, nurses, and the organization. Read this story on Connect how our team partnered with Pharmacy to reduce trips to the pharmacy, creating a major win for frontline staff and patients.

We are very fortunate to have 15 incredible, high-performing CNSs within our 500+ advanced practice provider workforce. Their leadership, courage, and collaborative partnerships across specialties are truly essential to our patient care outcomes. If you happen to be lucky enough to work alongside one of them, please take a moment to thank them for their daily impact and service. Clinical Nurse Specialists: We are incredibly grateful for your service!