Nursing Profiles
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
- Ambulatory Care Nurse
- Camp Nurse
- Cardiac Care Nurse
- Cardiac Cath Lab Nurse
- Case Management Nurse
- Certified Nurse Midwife
- Clinical Nurse Leader
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Correctional Facility Nurse
- Critical Care Nurse
- Dermatology Nurse
- Developmental Disabilities Nurse
- Diabetes Nurse
- Domestic Violence Nurse
- Emergency Nurse
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Flight/Transport Nurse
- Forensic Nurse
- Gastroenterology Nurse
- Geriatric Nurse
- Gynecology/Obstetrics Nurse
- Hematology Nurse
- HIV/AIDS Nurse
- Holistic Nurse
- Home Health Care Nurse
- Hospice Nurse
- Independent Nurse Contractor
- Infection Control Nurse
- Labor & Delivery Nurse
- Lactation Consultant
- Legal Nurse Consultant
- Licensed Practical Nurse
- Long-Term Care Nurse
- Managed Care Nurse
- Medical Assistant
- Military Nurse
- Missionary Nurse
- Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse
- Nephrology Nurse
- Neuroscience Nurse
- Nurse Advocate
- Nurse Anesthetist
- Nurse Attorney
- Nurse Educator
- Nurse Entrepreneur
- Nurse Executive
- Nurse Manager
- Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Researcher
- Nursing Informatics
- Occupational Health Nurse
- Oncology Nurse
- Operating Room Nurse
- Ophthalmic Nurse
- Orthopaedic Nurse
- Otorhinolaryngology Nurse
- Pain Management Nurse
- Parish Nursing
- Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse
- Pediatric Nurse
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Perianesthesia Nurse
- Perinatal Nurse
- Plastic Surgery Nurse
- Psychiatric Nurse
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
- Public Health Nurse
- Pulmonary Care Nurse
- Radiology Nurse
- Registered Nurse
- Rehabilitation Nurse
- Reproductive Nurse
- Rheumatology Nurse
- School Nurse
- Substance Abuse Nurse
- Surgical Nurse
- Toxicology Nurse
- Transplant Nurse
- Trauma Nurse
- Travel Nurse
- Urologic Nurse
- Wound Care Nurse
Nursing Schools by State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Nursing Career Info
Featured Article

Demand for Nurses
Nurses may be the most in-demand health care position in the country.
Nursing Articles
- 10 Fastest-Growing Careers in Nursing
- Financial Aid for Nursing Schools
- Finding the Best Nursing School for You
- How to Become a Nurse
- How to Choose a Nursing School
- How to Know if Nursing School is Right for You
- Nursing School Accreditation
- Nursing Shortage
- Nursing Skills
- Returning to School
- Types of Nurses
- What Is Nursing?
- Why Nursing School Is a Smart Career Choice
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Featured Sponsored Program

BS - Nursing: RN to BSN
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Clinical Nurse Specialist
What Does a Clinical Nurse Specialist Do?
A clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is an advanced practice nurse with an graduate or doctorate level education. They are traditionally found in acute care settings, but are working more and more today in non acute care environments. Clinical nurse specialists are experts at diagnosing and treating illnesses and they are responsible for providing evidence based treatments and interventions. They also work with other nurses and specialists to provide clinical expertise in an effort to bring about practical improvements to the overall health system. They focus their work on what they call their "three spheres of influence", which are patient/family, nursing personnel, and system/network organization. Clinical nurse specialists can focus their practice in a specific area based on conditions or illnesses, like diabetes or cardiovascular diseases, or based on working environments, like emergency rooms or urgent care clinics, or even based on procedures, like surgery. The average five daily duties of a CNS include clinical practice, teaching, research, consulting and management.
How Can I Become a Clinical Nurse Specialist?
A clinical nurse specialist is a highly educated and trained position. They must obtain a master's or doctor's level degree in nursing with emphasis on becoming a clinical nurse specialist. Following completion of the degree, nurses are then required to successfully pass the national nurses licensing exam. After this, they are eligible to sit for the CNS certification exam, which is sponsored by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). This exam can provide certification for clinical nurse specialists in adult health, adult psychiatric and mental health, child/adolescent psychology and mental health, CNS Core, diabetes management, gerontological, home health, public/community health, and pediatrics. These exams are computer based and contain a set number of multiple choice questions, usually 175. While the majority of exam questions will be directly related to the specialty you test in, all exams cover education, research, advanced practice nursing and the sciences. For information about test, visit the ANCC website.
What Is the Career and Salary Outlook for a Clinical Nurse Specialist?
The average annual salary for clinical nurse specialists is around $80,000, but this number can range from $75,000 – $100,000 per year based on geographic location, hiring facility, education and training level. The employment outlook for clinical nurse specialists is very positive. The United States is currently facing a nursing shortage which is only expected to worsen in the coming years. Advanced practice nurses, like clinical nurse specialists, are in especially high demand because they can provide primary and specialized care for patients without costing a medical facility as much as employing a physician might. This high demand for skilled medical personnel means higher salaries, better benefits packages, more flexible work environments and schedules and other perks doled out to entice nurses. Their wide range of expertise also allows them to work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, home care systems, homes, clinics, offices, private businesses, private practices and schools.
Top Nursing Colleges
Kaplan University - Certification, Associate's & Bachelor's Degree.
Kaplan University has a well respected nursing program for students looking to obtain their degree online. Kaplan is an accredited university with a history of placing students in high-growth nursing careers.


Grand Canyon University - B.S. in Nursing (Registered Nurse - B.S.N.)
Grand Canyon University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and offers nursing degrees at affordable prices. Grand Canyon University allows students to practice what they learn with hands on teaching methods.


Liberty University - Master's Degree.
Liberty University is one of the most respected names in online colleges and provides a variety of online degree plans, including a MSN program. Liberty University makes it possible to earn your entire nursing degree online.

