Council of Clinical Nurse Specialists

Upcoming Council Meetings › Council Meeting Summaries ›

The Council of Clinical Nurse Specialists is comprised of clinical nurse specialists (CNS) across the state who are interested in advancing the role and practice of the CNS. The council works with both state and national CNS groups to support, educate and advance the CNS role.

The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), one of four APRN roles recognized by the State Board of Nursing, delivers care aligned with advanced practice standards. Guided by nationally established competencies, the CNS promotes high-quality, evidence-based care and drives change at the patient, nursing, and system levels. This role is a valuable asset to organizations, helping them meet and exceed today’s healthcare standards.

Highlighted Initiative
The primary initiative at present is to advocate for the implementation of the Consensus Model and lend support of the IOM report for APRN practice.

Mission Statement

The mission of the CNS council is to advance health policy and support the practice of clinical nurse specialists through advocacy.

Council Goals

Facilitate and support initiatives for CNS title protection
Discuss relevant practice issues and concerns
Participate in legislative processes to promote health policy advocacy

Council Leadership

T. Caleb Rutan – Chair
Allison Fox – Co-Chair/Secretary
Julie M. Linder – CAPN Representative
Kelly M. Osborne – CNS Council Advisor
April Schultz – Ambassador
Katie Smith – Ambassador
Leah Haught – Ambassador
Libby Guerrero – CNS Student Ambassador

Join the Council of Clinical Nurse Specialists

Interested in joining the Council of Clinical Nurse Specialists? We would love to have you! NCNA members can join any council by updating their profile:

› Click the “Account” tab.
› Choose “Personal Info” on the left-hand side.
› Scroll down to select the councils you’d like to join.
› Don’t forget to click “Save” at the bottom.

CNS Community on NCNA Connect

NCNA Connect is our members-only online community designed to help you stay informed, engaged, and connected. In this easy-to-use platform, you can participate in discussions and get feedback from your nurse peers, receive timely updates from your council leaders, download helpful documents, files, and resources, and communicate and network with other NCNA members.

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What does a CNS specialize in?

Population (i.e. pediatrics, gerontology, neonatal)
Setting (i.e. critical care, emergency)
Medical Subspecialty or disease (i.e. diabetes, oncology)
Type of care (i.e. psychiatric)
Type of problem (i.e. pain, wound/ostomy)

Outcomes of CNS Practice

Reduced hospital costs and length of stay
Reduced emergency visits
Reduced readmission rates
Improved symptom management
Increased patient satisfaction
Reduced medical complications in hospitalized patients (i.e., infection rates, VTE)
Increased quality outcomes
Increased patient satisfaction scores
American Association of Critical Care Nurses (2014)

CNS Exemplar Stories
The NCNA CNS Council is continuing to collect CNS Exemplar stories on how CNSs in the State of North Carolina can improve patients’ access to safe and affordable care. Please share your story with us.
Submission Form ›