The clinical nurse specialist and the research process

With the growing emphasis on clinically based research as the foundation for nursing practice, the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is in an ideal position to identify problems within the clinical arena and use research methods to support and advance practice. In the case of the Transition of the Preterm Infant to an Open Crib project sponsored by the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), CNSs served as site coordinators at most of the 10 implementation sites. The educational background of the CNS, combined with a grounding in clinical experience, was ideal for this role. This article discusses the role of the CNS in the implementation of a research utilization project using two case studies as examples.