Clinical Nurse Specialist - Full-time / Part-time

Department:Nursing Education, MMHSchedule:Per DiemShift:DayHours:Hours / Pay Period:0 Grade:N4Job Details:

• POSITION SUMMARY:

  Provides clinical expertise, education, consultation, leadership and research in selected clinical areas of nursing within three spheres of influence. patients, nursing, and the organization.   Serves as a resource to staff and management.  Allocates available resources to promote efficient, effective and compassionate patient care throughout the organization.  Facilitates the development of collegial relationships.  Visible, accessible and committed to communicating effectively with staff.  Promotes the profession of nursing and professional practice.  Represents the organization in a positive and professional manner.  The Clinical Nurse Specialist reports to the Nursing Education Manager.

   

  EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION

  • Masters Degree in Nursing from a program that prepares Clinical Nurse Specialist's; or may also be educated through a post-master's certificate program that is recognized by a national nursing accrediting body as preparing graduates to practice as a Clinical Nurse Specialist for a specialty population.
  • Must be a graduate of an accredited School of Nursing and hold and maintain current a Registered Nurse license in the State of Connecticut.
  • Basic certification in area of specialty is preferred.
  • Certified Nurse Specialist certification or eligibility for Certified Nurse Specialist certification to be completed within one year of hire.
  • Maintains clinical competency required for area of assignment.
  • Certification as an instructor in Basic Cardiac Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support is required.

   

  EXPERIENCE

  • Must have at least five (5) years or more of progressive experience in clinical practice, nursing education, and/or nursing management in an acute care setting.   

     

  COMPETENCIES

  • Must be able to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.  
  • Basic Computer skills are necessary.

     

  ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITES:

  Disclaimer: Job descriptions are not intended, nor should they be construed to be, exhaustive lists of all responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with the job.  They are intended to be accurate reflections of the principal duties and responsibilities of this position.  These responsibilities and competencies listed below may change from time to time.

   

  Job-Specific Competency

  1.      Participates in regular or episodic high quality, competent direct patient care in area of expertise.  Assesses the quality of care for a specific patient population. Creates environment in which high quality care can be provided.

  2.      Uses a comprehensive approach, a high level of discriminative judgment, advanced knowledge, and expert skill to identify problems and issues that interfere with patient care and that may require CNS intervention.

  3.      Provides clinical practice interventions that result in improvements in clinical outcomes, patient /family satisfaction, resource allocation, staff knowledge and skills, health care team collaboration, and organizational efficiency

  4.      Provides indirect patient care through delegation and guidance to staff nurse and collaboration with members of the healthcare team to develop standards of care, clinical procedures, or quality improvement plans.  Implementation and adherence are evaluated to compare outcomes, refine guidelines, improve clinical management and further promote consistent adherence.  Participates in system evaluation of technology and its impact on patients and resources

  5.      Assists in suggesting a wide range of alternative approaches or solutions to clinical or system problems. As a consultant the CNS initiates plan, mobilizes the resources, defuses the politics, and facilitates the resolution. 

  6.      Acts as an internal resource consultant who provides pertinent information that enables nurses and others to make decisions based on a wide range of relevant and appropriate alternatives.

  7.      Participates in both formal and informal teaching and coaching of staff nurses, graduate nursing students, clinical nurse specialists, other healthcare professionals and patients/ families. Demonstrates commitment to career development and professional practice of self and staff.

  8.      Acts as positive role model for nurses demonstrating practical integration of theory and evidenced based practice.

  9.      Fosters spirit of inquiry by documenting problems to determine research needs or by generating or refining research problems.

  10.  Interprets and applies research findings. Analyzes and evaluates the appropriateness of research and applies research findings to clinical practice and evaluates outcomes.

  11.  Utilizes evidence based practice in clinical procedures, administrative policies and educational materials for patients, staff and others.

  12.  Acts as a change agent to provide a link between a variety of resources and staff and asserts clinical and professional leadership in the practice setting or healthcare system, in health care policy and delivery decisions, or in the administration of direct care programs. Acts as a knowledgeable, strong, risk taking nurse leader. Conveys a strong sense of staff advocacy and support.

  13.  Authors and actuates clinical procedures, practice guidelines and care tracks; designs and directs quality performance improvement initiatives; chairs interdisciplinary committees or manages clinical projects and influences or guides institutional healthcare policy decisions.

  14.  Collaborates with nurses, nurse educators, physicians, and other healthcare providers and patients and their families to result in teambuilding, synergism, and integrative solutions.

  15.  Influences negotiation of morale dilemma, direction of patient care, access to care, and allocation of resources.

   

Job-Specific Competency

1.      Participates in regular or episodic high quality, competent direct patient care in area of expertise.  Assesses the quality of care for a specific patient population. Creates environment in which high quality care can be provided.

2.      Uses a comprehensive approach, a high level of discriminative judgment, advanced knowledge, and expert skill to identify problems and issues that interfere with patient care and that may require CNS intervention.

3.      Provides clinical practice interventions that result in improvements in clinical outcomes, patient /family satisfaction, resource allocation, staff knowledge and skills, health care team collaboration, and organizational efficiency

4.      Provides indirect patient care through delegation and guidance to staff nurse and collaboration with members of the healthcare team to develop standards of care, clinical procedures, or quality improvement plans.  Implementation and adherence are evaluated to compare outcomes, refine guidelines, improve clinical management and further promote consistent adherence.  Participates in system evaluation of technology and its impact on patients and resources

5.      Assists in suggesting a wide range of alternative approaches or solutions to clinical or system problems. As a consultant the CNS initiates plan, mobilizes the resources, defuses the politics, and facilitates the resolution. 

6.      Acts as an internal resource consultant who provides pertinent information that enables nurses and others to make decisions based on a wide range of relevant and appropriate alternatives.

7.      Participates in both formal and informal teaching and coaching of staff nurses, graduate nursing students, clinical nurse specialists, other healthcare professionals and patients/ families. Demonstrates commitment to career development and professional practice of self and staff.

8.      Acts as positive role model for nurses demonstrating practical integration of theory and evidenced based practice.

9.      Fosters spirit of inquiry by documenting problems to determine research needs or by generating or refining research problems.

10.  Interprets and applies research findings. Analyzes and evaluates the appropriateness of research and applies research findings to clinical practice and evaluates outcomes.

11.  Utilizes evidence based practice in clinical procedures, administrative policies and educational materials for patients, staff and others.

12.  Acts as a change agent to provide a link between a variety of resources and staff and asserts clinical and professional leadership in the practice setting or healthcare system, in health care policy and delivery decisions, or in the administration of direct care programs. Acts as a knowledgeable, strong, risk taking nurse leader. Conveys a strong sense of staff advocacy and support.

13.  Authors and actuates clinical procedures, practice guidelines and care tracks; designs and directs quality performance improvement initiatives; chairs interdisciplinary committees or manages clinical projects and influences or guides institutional healthcare policy decisions.

14.  Collaborates with nurses, nurse educators, physicians, and other healthcare providers and patients and their families to result in teambuilding, synergism, and integrative solutions.

15.  Influences negotiation of morale dilemma, direction of patient care, access to care, and allocation of resources.