Healthcare Practitioners
Clinical Nurse Specialists
Also called: APN (Advanced Practice Nurse), Board Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS-BC), CNS (Clinical Nurse Specialist), Critical Care CNS (Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist)
US median pay
$97,550
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+5.6%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
180,800
3,465,400 employed
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Preparation 5/5 · Extensive preparation
What this job is
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.
What they do day to day
- Provide specialized direct and indirect care to inpatients and outpatients within a designated specialty, such as obstetrics, neurology, oncology, or neonatal care.
- Collaborate with other health care professionals and service providers to ensure optimal patient care.
- 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.
- Instruct nursing staff in areas such as the assessment, development, implementation, and evaluation of disability, illness, management, technology, or resources.
- Develop and maintain departmental policies, procedures, objectives, or patient care standards, based on evidence-based practice guidelines or expert opinion.
- Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice or organizational systems.
- Observe, interview, and assess patients to identify care needs.
- Provide coaching and mentoring to other caregivers to help facilitate their professional growth and development.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness4.0/5
- Service Orientation4.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making4.0/5
- Coordination3.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9/5
- Time Management3.6/5
- Persuasion3.6/5
- Instructing3.5/5
Knowledge
- Medicine and Dentistry4.8/5
- Education and Training4.4/5
- Psychology4.3/5
- English Language4.3/5
- Biology4.0/5
- Therapy and Counseling4.0/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 5 of 5 — Extensive preparation. Usually a graduate degree (master's, PhD, MD, JD) and extensive experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Bachelor's degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Master's degree86%
Who this job suits
Mostly Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.