Capitalizing on the Value of the Clinical Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care

Abstract

The clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is 1 of the 4 advanced practice registered nurse roles and a vital component in palliative and hospice nursing care. The CNS is a specialty expert clinician capable of practicing in a variety of health care settings including acute care, primary care, and specialty ambulatory care. The CNS integrates palliative care standards across the 3 spheres of impact (patient, nurse, and system) to improve care patients receive at end of life, mentoring and coaching nurses in the unique aspects of palliative and hospice care (HPC), and serving as a clinical expert for the organization to ensure best practices and quality outcomes. Clinical nurse specialists are trained to diagnose, treat, and prescribe to provide holistic care to their patients. However, challenges exist for the CNS role due to variations in state regulations regarding title protection and scope of practice leading to inconsistency in and misperception of the CNS role. Clinical nurse specialists have a wealth of expertise that can lead to systematic improvement in patient outcomes, advances in hospice and palliative nursing practice, and management of HPC patients and their families. Clinical nurse specialists are a hidden treasure that should be integrated into HPC practice.