Clinical Nurse Specialists Associations Sign Agreement Uniting 92,000 North American CNSs

The National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) announced today the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Clinical Nurse Specialist Association of Canada (CNS-C). The MOU unites North America’s two Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) associations with the joint objective of promoting activities that increase the visibility of the 89,000 US CNSs and over 3,000 Canadian CNSs in North America. CNSs are highly educated and unique among the four Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) roles as they are the only APRNs qualified to integrate care across the three spheres of impact in health care: patient care, nurses and nursing, and organizations and systems. The collaboration includes joint legislative and regulatory advocacy as well as marketing activities. Each CNS association will appoint liaisons to meet quarterly with the responsibility for coordinating efforts between the two organizations in North America. “Both organizations have similar opportunities and legislative objectives such as advocating for CNSs to operate as licensed independent providers,” said Sean M. Reed, PhD, APRN, ACNS-BC, ACHPN, president, NACNS. “There is strength in numbers and working together we will both be stronger organizations with a powerful voice. This MOU signals the start of a collaboration between the associations allowing us to combine efforts and present a united North American strategy with the goal of increasing the visibility and value of the CNS while promoting growth and attracting membership engagement for all CNSs.” “We have implemented our strategic alliance through a memo of understanding so that we may strengthen the networks and advocacy of the associations, and achieve greater impact than either organization could achieve on its own” said Mary-Lou Martin, RN, CNS-APN, MScN, MEd, president, CNS-C. “We shared information about our organizations and explored the potential for partnerships, and we found that we have a lot of common ground regarding strengths, challenges and future plans that can be enhanced by promoting collaboration and jointly orchestrated strategies. To develop and promote working relations between our two national associations will build awareness of the CNS role and encourage creative innovation in the CNS’ spheres of practice and health systems approach: direct complex care; consultation; education; research; policy and leadership. CNSs are uniquely positioned to bring focus and contribute to change in complex health care systems and improve patient and system level outcomes.” About The National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists The National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) is the only national association representing the clinical nurse specialists (CNS) in the USA. CNSs are the most versatile advanced practice registered nurses and work in a variety of health care specialties to ensure delivery of high-quality, evidence-based, patient-centered care. As leaders in the acute, post-acute, and ambulatory health care settings, CNSs impact direct patient care, nurses and nursing practice, and organizations and systems to optimize care and drive outstanding clinical outcomes. NACNS is dedicated to advancing CNS practice and education and removing unnecessary and limiting regulatory barriers, while assuring public access to quality CNS services. For more information or to join NACNS, click here. About The Clinical Nurse Specialist Association of Canada The Clinical Nurse Specialist Association of Canada (CNS-C) / Association des infirmières et infirmiers cliniciens spécialisés du Canada (ICS-C) is the only national association representing the clinical nurse specialists (CNS) in Canada. CNS-C officially incorporated in January 2016 and have representatives across the provinces and territories of Canada. CNSs have advanced education and specialized clinical expertise within nursing practice. CNSs provide a leadership platform through which they can impact and influence cost-effective health care system change to support safe, quality care and superior outcomes. In Canada, there is a need to develop more CNS Master in Nursing programs and achieve CNS title protection to ultimately improve patient/client outcomes. For more information or to join CNS-C, please refer to their website.

Sean M. Reed, PhD, APRN, ACNS-BC, ACHPN

At the end of this webinar, attendees will be able to:

1. Describe 4-elements that promote the value of the CNS
2. Formulate a strategy for disseminating CNS outcomes
3. Construct a portfolio of CNS self-advocacy

This nursing continuing professional development activity was approved by Montana Nurses Association, an
accredited approver with distinction by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

There is no conflict of interest for anyone with the ability to control content of this activity.

To earn contact hours, participate in the webinar or watch the recording and complete the evaluation.

The contact hours are: 1 hour

For those who watch the recording, contact hours are available through 09/01/2022. 

View the video here (cost associated): https://portal.nacns.org/NACNS/Store/StoreLayouts/Item_Detail.aspx?iProductCode=WEB090120 

National Clinical Nurse Specialist Recognition Week (CNS Week) is September 1-7, 2020. The theme for this year is The Resurgence of the CNS. Are you ready to celebrate? Download our toolkit here!

What is CNS Week? 

CNS week is an annual event that acknowledges the contributions of the nearly 90,000 Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) in North America.

NACNS established National CNS Recognition Week (CNS week) in 2009 to commemorate and celebrate the birth of Hildegard Peplau, who was born on September 1, 1909. Dr. Peplau was a prominent nursing theorist whose landmark book, Interpersonal Relations in Nursing, emphasized the nurse-client relationship as the foundation for nursing practice and today serves as the basis of the CNS role in health care.

CNS Week is a perfect time for CNSs to celebrate and bring attention to the role, and for hospitals and health care systems to pay tribute to the valuable part CNSs play in health care and health care delivery.

What is NACNS doing?

NACNS will be sending communications to our audiences through email and social media during CNS week that embraces this year’s theme, Resurgence of the CNS. Every day, for seven days, NACNS will introduce new resources and tips to follow to help spread awareness of the CNS role.

Tuesday, September 1 – History of CNS Week

• Celebrating the birthday of Hildegard Peplau and the 11th anniversary of CNS week

Wednesday, September 2 – The Story of the CNS

• Communicating the story and history behind the CNS role and what makes it unique

Thursday, September 3 – Continuing to Advance the Unique Expertise of the CNS

• Sharing available resources that contribute to enhancing CNS education

Friday, September 4 – CNS Fact Friday

• Explaining the differences between CNSs and other healthcare workers and setting the record straight on common misconceptions

Saturday, September 5 – Working Together to Achieve the Resurgence of the CNS

• Encouraging engagement in the CNS community and highlighting available networking opportunities

Sunday, September 6 – Honoring Those Keeping the Role Alive

• Commemorating NACNS membership anniversaries and recognizing those who have raised the profile of the CNS role, research, practice, education, and service.

Monday, September 7 – Looking Towards the Future of the CNS

• Sharing ideas and resources that help with increasing the number of CNSs and educating the public on the role of the CNS.

What can you do?

Download our celebration toolkit, where we have compiled a list of resources that you can use to celebrate with your audience!

Download here.

All information listed can be found at https://nacns.org/event/cns-week-2020/

The National Institutes of Health announced in July that Shannon Zenk, RN, PhD would assume the role of director of the National Institute of Nursing Research in fall 2020. NINR supports research and training to advance symptom science, promote wellness, support self-management of chronic conditions, enhance palliative and end-of-life care, and develop the next generation of nurse scientists.

More information: https://blog.truthaboutnursing.org/2020/08/paging-dr-zenk/; or https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-taps-dr-shannon-zenk-director-national-institute-nursing-research 

Stay up to date on policies that affect CNSs! The CNS Scope of Practice and Prescriptive Authority and CNS Independent Prescriptive Authority maps have been updated as of 7.31.20.

To see the maps, visit this link: https://nacns.org/advocacy-policy/policies-affecting-cnss/scope-of-practice/​ 

A call for submissions_NEOCNS_ to celebrate Year of the Nurse_JPC_MBM_J.docx

May 26, 2020 

Block your calendars to appreciate and recognize the history of nursing in Northeast Ohio and celebrate CNS work.

4-6 pm Health Education Campus
9501 Euclid Ave, Cleveland Ohio 44106

Check back for updates

Registration is now open for the October 30th NEOCNS event!

neocns.org/events 

 https://twitter.com/ClinicalOhio

Jul 2, 2018: With the ongoing discussions regarding the Ohio Board of Nursing’s attempt to regulate specialty populations, OAAPN received this article from the American Academy of Emergency Nurse Practitioners (AAENP).  This article supports the utilization of Family Nurse Practitioners in Emergency Department settings due to the populations who utilize these services.  To provide a more balanced discussion with the OBON, this article will be provided to the OBON staff for dissemination to the APRN Advisory Committee.

Dr. K. Sue Hoyt discusses a variety of topics, including data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that state 40% of patients evaluated in the Emergency Department are women and children and 3%-5% are critical care patients. This data does not support the opinion  that all APRNs practicing in the ED must be acute care certified.

Thank you to our friends at AAENP for this well written article.

https://journals.lww.com/aenjournal/Fulltext/2018/04000/Emergency_Nurse_Practitioners_State_by_State__A.1.aspx

Jun 22, 2018: OAAPN’s House Bill 111, authorizing Psych APRNs to compel mental health evaluations (the “Pink Slip” Bill), passed the Ohio House of Representatives on Wednesday and now awaits Governor Kasich’s signature. 90 days after he signs the bill, it will be law and Mental Health Nurse Practitioners and Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialists will be able to mandate a psychiatric evaluation for individuals who have suicidal or homicidal ideations. This authority is for mental health evaluation only to determine if the individual needs a psychiatric admission. OAAPN has worked on this issue for six years and thanks all members who worked tirelessly to ensure Ohioans suffering with behavioral health issues receive needed evaluations.