Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 15, 2026
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Clinical nurse specialists' perceptions of work patterns, outcomes, desires, and emerging trends
1Author Affiliation: Associate Professor, McAuley School of Nursing, University of Detroit Mercy, Michigan.
Objective:
This study explored clinical nurse specialists' (CNSs') perceptions of work patterns, outcomes, desires, and emerging trends in practice.
Background:
Clinical nurse specialists transform patient care toward high-quality, cost-effective outcomes, but the role includes multiple dimensions contributing to role confusion.
Methods:
Using qualitative methods, 12 CNSs were interviewed for perceptions of their role in healthcare today. Data reduction and confirmability strategies were used in data analysis.
Results:
Work patterns included office activities, patient rounds, working with nurses, attending meetings, and supporting quality improvement initiatives. Outcomes included safer patient care, getting patients the resources they need, transforming nurses, and meeting the quality metrics. An emerging trend was increased involvement in research.
Conclusions:
Clinical nurse specialists perceive the role to be important in driving change and transforming nursing care towards high-quality clinical outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Current Trends in Nursing I
01:30Current Trends in Nursing II
01:22The Professional Nurse
Communication skills: These are critical characteristics, especially speaking and listening.
01:30National Nursing Organizations II
The AACN emphasizes a healthy work environment through six standards to achieve an optimal patient outcome. The standards are appropriate staffing, meaningful recognition, collaboration, authentic leadership, effective communication, and decision-making. In addition, AACN provides certification programs, webinars, journals, and...
01:21Interdisciplinary Care: The Health Care Team-I
Physicians
The physician's primary responsibility is to diagnose illness and direct the medical or surgical treatment of the condition. The authority to admit patients to a healthcare agency or institution and practice care within that setting is granted to physicians by the healthcare agency or institution...
01:23International Nursing Organizations I
ICN member organizations work to advance the field of nursing and healthcare via policies, partnerships, lobbying, professional...