In 2010, the Tri-Council for Nursing warned of a nurses’ shortage. A year later, in April 2011 BLS decried the same situation in the nursing sector even as other professions reported job losses. This highlights a special role that society today accords nurses as population continues to age. However, the nursing fraternity has an expert group of nurses known as clinical nurse specialists (CNS) whose demand is even higher. Nursing is a challenging profession but if you want a rewarding position in this field, you should think of enrolling in one of the clinical nurse specialist programs.
Overview of a Clinical Specialist’s Job
A CNS is an advanced practice nurse holding either a Masters Degree or a Doctorate in a specialized area of nursing. Specialization areas include pediatrics, geriatrics, oncology, critical care, or, cardio care, women’s health and psychiatric care. A research by Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in 2004 showed that 93.3% of CNS had a Masters Degree qualification with a Masters in Nursing Administration featuring most. Specialization is based on population, disease, type of care and settings. Three spheres of influence emerge in any setting these nurses operate in namely; patients who are helped with resolution and prevention of illness, nursing personnel who are coached and mentored, and finally, the health systems in which these nurse specialists conduct research, evaluate goals and implement changes.
Training through Online Clinical Nurse Specialist Programs
Nursing is a very labor intensive career and as such, you might not have the liberty of enrolling full time for CNS programs. However, many institutions appreciate this fact and have formulated clinical nurse specialist online programs to enable you work and study part time. These programs are convenient as you learn at your own pace and use virtual classes where you are allocated a tutor. Clarifications on any issues can be done instantly meaning you will complete this course with a firm grasp of complex areas in health care.
Courses involved in online clinical nurse specialist programs include pharmacology, advanced practice nursing theory, diagnostic reasoning, resource development and financial management among others to create an all-rounded specialist. You must be a licensed nurse having passed the (NCLEX-RN) and you provide letters proving about 2000 hours practicing as a nurse. An online nursing administration degree will take about 2-4 years though there will be hands on clinical work at an authorized facility near your location.
CNS Career Outlook
One major benefit of taking clinical nurse specialist programs online is that you get a chance to work in various settings ranging from outpatient clinics, community health centers, psychiatrist hospitals, nursing homes among others. In addition, you will have broader employment opportunities as the US BLS projects a 22% growth in job opportunities for nurses from 2008-2018 and according to Salalry.com, median pay is $88,336 which makes the idea of advanced training even more appealing. When searching for online nursing programs, ensure they are duly accredited by bodies such as NCSBN, to ensure you get certification in your specialty. You should also ask for reviews from other nurses and read reviews about any programs you are evaluating. With this insight, you can enroll in a clinical nurse specialist programs and start ascending the ladder of success.