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The oncology clinical nurse specialist in a post-master's nurse practitioner program: a personal and professional
1Oncology Advanced Practice Nurse Program, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, USA.
Purpose/Objectives:
To examine the evolution of the advanced practice role in oncology nursing and the authors' educational experiences and role transitions as they progressed through a post-master's nurse practitioner (NP) certificate program.
Data Sources:
Professional literature and personal experiences of two experienced oncology clinical nurse specialists (CNSs).
Data Synthesis:
Despite historical differences between CNS and NP roles, the authors did not subtract or detract from their CNS roles but added new skills to their established roles.
Conclusions:
Skills that define both the NP and CNS roles must be maintained to effectively meet the current healthcare needs of patients with cancer.
Implications For Nursing Practice:
Many CNSs are returning to school to obtain their NP credentials. Although assimilating new skills and knowledge into an already established professional identity was a challenging undertaking, the authors viewed the experience as essential in preparing them to meet the demands of the changing healthcare environment.