Nursing Programs | Nursing Degrees, Clinical Nurse Specialist Career Profile, Salary Information San Diego CA

Clinical Nurse Specialist Basics
Clinical nurse specialists (CNS) are registered nurses who have gone on to receive additional training in an area of specialization. These advance practice nurses are considered experts in the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses.

Clinical nurse specialists have an array of tasks, which vary depending on the particular specialty. These specializations can include cardiology, oncology, neurology, and pediatrics.

No matter which specialization they choose, clinical nurse specialists divide their time between patient care, research, management, teaching, and consulting.

Clinical nurse specialists work in a variety of settings, from hospitals and clinics to colleges and public health departments. In addition to diagnosing and treating patients’ health problems, clinical nurse specialists provide consultation for nursing staff members, as well as give advice on disease prevention.

How to Get Started as a Clinical Nurse Specialist
In order to become a clinical nurse specialist, you must have either a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN), an associate’s degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program.

Once you’ve completed the basic education, and have obtained licensure as a registered nurse, a master’s degree in the particular area of specialization is required for those who want to become clinical nurse specialists.

Clinical nurse specialist programs offer clinical training in university or community hospitals, and usually take at least 18 months to complete, but can span anywhere from 24 to 36 months, depending on the individual course load. In addition to coursework in areas such as health assessment, pharmacology, and patho-physiology, all clinical nurse specialists are required to complete 500 clinical hours before graduating from the program.

Most advance practice nurses are required to pass their board certification exams in order to practice in their field of expertise. Additionally, clinical nurse specialists are req...

Home Healthcare Nurse Basics
Home healthcare nurses provide medical services to patients in the comfort of their homes. The daily activities of home healthcare nurses depends largely on the individual patients, though some common tasks include administering medications, recording vital signs and symptoms, and assisting patients with basic needs such as bathing and dressing and medication management. More specialized care includes cleaning and dressing wounds, and IV therapy.

According to the National Association for Home Care (NAHC), there are more than 7 million individuals in need of home health care nurse services in the United States. These services may be needed because of acute illness, permanent disabilities, long-term health problems, and terminal illness.

Though most home healthcare nurses work in individual patients’ homes, and are employed by healthcare agencies, some may be employed by hospitals and other traditional healthcare settings, serving as consultants or educators.

How to Get Started as a Home Healthcare Nurse
In order to become a home health care nurse, you must first become a registered nurse (RN). This can be done several ways; you can either obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN), an associate’s degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program. Here students gain fundamental knowledge needed for a career in nursing, with classes centered on the sciences. This education will also prepare students for certification and licensure exams, which are required for those looking to become a registered nurse.

Though a master’s degree is not required to become a home health care nurse, those interested in furthering their education to become a home healthcare clinical nurse specialist will be required to obtain a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN).