Clinical Nurse Specialists
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Education
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, neurologists, and veterinarians.
Direct nursing staff in the provision of patient care in a clinical practice setting, such as a hospital, hospice, clinic, or home. Ensure adherence to established clinical policies, protocols, regulations, and standards.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $53K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $61K
Median Salary: $75K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $93K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $116K
Demand
Core Tasks
Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice or organizational systems.
Collaborate with other health care professionals and service providers to ensure optimal patient care.
Develop and maintain departmental policies, procedures, objectives, or patient care standards, based on evidence-based practice guidelines or expert opinion.
Develop nursing service philosophies, goals, policies, priorities, or procedures.
Direct or supervise nursing care staff in the provision of patient therapy.
Instruct nursing staff in areas such as the assessment, development, implementation, and evaluation of disability, illness, management, technology, or resources.
Provide coaching and mentoring to other caregivers to help facilitate their professional growth and development.
Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.
Develop, implement, or evaluate standards of nursing practice in specialty area, such as pediatrics, acute care, and geriatrics.
Maintain departmental policies, procedures, objectives, or infection control standards.
Provide consultation to other health care providers in areas such as patient discharge, patient care, or clinical procedures.
Develop or assist others in development of care and treatment plans.
Make clinical recommendations to physicians, other health care providers, insurance companies, patients, or health care organizations.
Plan, evaluate, or modify treatment programs, based on information gathered by observing and interviewing patients or by analyzing patient records.
Provide specialized direct and indirect care to inpatients and outpatients within a designated specialty, such as obstetrics, neurology, oncology, or neonatal care.
Monitor or evaluate medical conditions of patients in collaboration with other health care professionals.
Coordinate or conduct educational programs or in-service training sessions on topics, such as clinical procedures.
Design evaluation programs regarding the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice or organizational systems.
Observe, interview, and assess patients to identify care needs.
Lead nursing department implementation of, or compliance with, regulatory or accreditation processes.
Present clients with information required to make informed health care and treatment decisions.
Participate in clinical research projects, such as by reviewing protocols, reviewing patient records, monitoring compliance, and meeting with regulatory authorities.
Chair nursing departments or committees.
Design patient education programs that include information required to make informed health care and treatment decisions.
Provide direct care by performing comprehensive health assessments, developing differential diagnoses, conducting specialized tests, or prescribing medications or treatments.
Prepare reports to document patients' care activities.
Identify training needs or conduct training sessions for nursing students or medical staff.
Write nursing orders.
Perform discharge planning for patients.
Teach patient education programs that include information required to make informed health care and treatment decisions.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Medicine and Dentistry
93%
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Education and Training
91%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
English Language
89%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Biology
86%
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Psychology
85%
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Customer and Personal Service
84%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Sociology and Anthropology
73%
Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
Mathematics
71%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Administration and Management
69%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Therapy and Counseling
68%
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
83%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
83%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
83%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Service Orientation
83%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Active Learning
80%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Coordination
80%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Social Perceptiveness
80%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking
80%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Complex Problem Solving
78%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Monitoring
78%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Top 10 Abilities
Deductive Reasoning
83%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Oral Comprehension
83%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
83%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Comprehension
83%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Inductive Reasoning
80%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Problem Sensitivity
80%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Speech Clarity
80%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Written Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Category Flexibility
73%
The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Information Ordering
73%
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Top 10 Work Activities
Assisting and Caring for Others
95%
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Getting Information
95%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
95%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
94%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
93%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
90%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
89%
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Coaching and Developing Others
88%
Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
88%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Training and Teaching Others
87%
Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Detailed Work Activities
Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
Establish nursing policies or standards.
Supervise patient care personnel.
Maintain medical or professional knowledge.
Train medical providers.
Support the professional development of others.
Advise medical personnel regarding healthcare issues.
Follow protocols or regulations for healthcare activities.
Develop medical treatment plans.
Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.
Treat acute illnesses, infections, or injuries.
Monitor patient conditions during treatments, procedures, or activities.
Evaluate patient functioning, capabilities, or health.
Develop procedures to evaluate organizational activities.
Collect medical information from patients, family members, or other medical professionals.
Examine patients to assess general physical condition.
Manage healthcare operations.
Communicate detailed medical information to patients or family members.
Conduct research to increase knowledge about medical issues.
Monitor medical facility activities to ensure adherence to standards or regulations.
Develop educational programs.
Diagnose medical conditions.
Prescribe medications.
Prepare reports summarizing patient diagnostic or care activities.
Teach classes in area of specialization.
Work Context
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Coordinate or Lead Others
How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Structured versus Unstructured Work
To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
Education
Majors based on the broader career Registered Nurses
Major
Interests
Enterprising
96%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Social
81%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Conventional
62%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Investigative
58%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Realistic
29%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Artistic
15%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Top 10 Work Styles
Adaptability/Flexibility
95%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Integrity
95%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Dependability
93%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Leadership
93%
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Attention to Detail
91%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Analytical Thinking
90%
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Initiative
90%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Cooperation
89%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Stress Tolerance
89%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Achievement/Effort
87%
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Work Values
Support
86%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Achievement
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Relationships
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Independence
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Recognition
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Working Conditions
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
