Clinical Nurse Specialist
Employment projections published in 2004 by the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate the need for registered nurses is likely to create the second largest number of new jobs in the United States throughout the next decade. These new jobs reflect all occupations recognized by the US government, not just those in the health care field.
As the medical industry as a whole becomes more specialized, the nursing industry is quickly following suit. This specialization of the field of nursing is leading to a new classification for registered nurses – the clinical nurse specialist.
The job description and responsibilities of a clinical nurse specialist vary according to setting and by the type of care the nurse provides within a particular setting. Some states require the registered nurse to complete training unique to a particular specialty before becoming employed as such.
Emergency rooms and trauma centers are settings where a clinical nurse specialist is highly valued. Quick, skilled response to any number of life-threatening conditions is critical in this setting and specialized training is vital.
A clinical nurse specialist working in a hospice or palliative care facility will obviously require skills entirely different from someone working in a trauma center.
Within one setting, such as a hospital, a clinical nurse specialist may focus on diagnostic issues or surgical care. Such a facility is likely to need a clinical nurse specialist with the cardiac, cancer, or diabetic training. The neonatology and pediatrics units and the intensive and critical care facilities will also need the services of nurses trained in those specialties.
Outside the hospital setting, a clinical nurse specialist may find employment in drug and alcohol treatment facilities, elder care facilities, and in offices where occupational therapy is given. Many people receive kidney dialysis at specialized facilities where there will be a clinical nurse specialist trained in nephrology.
When considering all the possibilities for a clinical nurse specialist, it quickly becomes obvious why the field of nursing is growing so rapidly.