Clinical Nurse Specialist FAQs

Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) can obtain certification through several organizations depending on their specialty:

Major Certifying Bodies:

1. ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center):

   • Adult-Gerontology CNS
   • Pediatric CNS
   • Psychiatric-Mental Health CNS

2. AACN (American Association of Critical-Care Nurses):

   • Adult Critical Care CNS (CCNS)
   • Pediatric Critical Care CNS (CCNS)
   • Neonatal Critical Care CNS (CCNS)

3. ONS (Oncology Nursing Society):

   • Advanced Oncology CNS (AOCNS)

Requirements for CNS Certification:

• Master’s or doctoral degree in CNS specialty
• Active RN license
• Graduate-level clinical hours in specialty
• Pass the certification examination

State Recognition: Not all states recognize CNS as an APRN role. Check your state board of nursing for specific CNS licensure requirements and scope of practice.

While both Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) and Nurse Practitioners (NP) are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), they have distinct roles:

Nurse Practitioner (NP):

• Focus: Direct patient care
• Primary role: Diagnosing and treating patients
• Setting: Primary care, specialty clinics
• Prescriptive authority: All states
• Recognized as APRN: All states

Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS):

• Focus: Systems improvement and nursing practice
• Primary role: Quality improvement, staff education, evidence-based practice
• Setting: Hospitals, health systems
• Prescriptive authority: Varies by state (not all states)
• Recognized as APRN: Not all states

Key Differences:

Aspect	NP	CNS
Patient care	Direct	Indirect/consultative
System focus	Individual patients	Population/unit outcomes
Prescribing	Yes (all states)	Limited (some states)

Some nurses hold both CNS and NP credentials for maximum flexibility.