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Becoming a nurse gives you an opportunity to play an active role in assessing and treating patients, whether in the context of a hospital, long-term care facility, clinic, or private medical practice. Many nurses find the work immensely rewarding and have no particular desire to seek additional duties or responsibilities. Others are drawn to advanced practice nursing, which allows for greater leadership and autonomy, as well as broader opportunities to impact patient outcomes. Two of the most common advanced practice nursing roles are clinical nurse specialist (CNS) and nurse practitioner (NP). While the two overlap in many ways, subtle differences exist between them. As you consider your own advanced practice nursing career, it can be helpful to explore the variables that distinguish clinical nurse specialist vs. nurse practitioner roles. What does a clinical nurse specialist do?A CNS is an advanced practice nurse who’s earned either a Master of Science in Nursing or Doctor of Nursing Practice. A CNS may assess, diagnose, and treat patients with considerable autonomy, not unlike a nurse practitioner or even a physician. However, due to their advanced level of training, those who occupy the CNS role often devote part of their practice to education, research, or health care management. In other words, they seek to impact patient outcomes both on an individual and institutional level by shaping health care delivery systems. According to the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS), those who work in this field “provide expertise and support to nurses caring for patients at the bedside, help drive practice changes throughout the organization, and ensure the use of best practices and evidence-based care to achieve the best possible patient outcomes.” What are the different areas in which a CNS can practice?While some CNS professionals work in primary care settings, it’s much more common for them to provide patients with specialty care. CNSs can have careers in any number of specialized areas, such as:
What does a clinical nurse specialist do in terms of patient care?The specific duties and responsibilities of a CNS may be defined by any number of factors, including the population served, type of health care facility, and type of medical specialty. The CNS job description may generally include any of the following clinical responsibilities:
What does a clinical nurse specialist do in terms of research?While CNS professionals are considered to be expert-level clinicians, their role may also entail working as health care researchers, educators, and consultants. A primary function of the CNS position is to spot gaps or inefficiencies in how health care is delivered and to develop and propose improvements. For example, a CNS may conduct research in any of the following areas:
What does a nurse practitioner do?Nurse practitioners are advanced practice nurses who have high-level degrees, including an MS in Nursing or DNP. Nurse practitioners provide direct care to patients and may work in primary care, acute care, or specialty care. With a looming shortage of primary care physicians, nurse practitioners are increasingly stepping up to fill patient care gaps, providing the basic health care services that patients need. The nurse practitioner’s role overlaps with that of the physician in numerous ways, with nurse practitioners especially focused on promoting wellness and preventing disease. What are the different areas in which an NP can practice?When you become a nurse practitioner, you’ll have the opportunity to select a practice specialty. The most common subtype of NP is the family nurse practitioner (FNP). About 75% of all nurse practitioners fall into this category. As an FNP, you can occupy a role similar to that of a primary care physician, providing patients with diagnosis and treatment for a range of acute or chronic health conditions. Alternatively, NPs may choose to focus on any of the following specialty areas:
What are the duties of the nurse practitioner?NPs provide primary and specialty care to patients. Their specific duties and responsibilities can vary depending on the type of facility and medical specialty. Some of the general duties associated with the position are:
How do you become a clinical nurse specialist?In comparing the clinical nurse specialist vs. nurse practitioner roles, another important consideration is the path toward becoming a licensed practicing professional. The basic trajectory to become a CNS is as follows: 1. Become an RN. You’ll need to earn either a two-year Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), after which you can sit for your RN licensing examination. How do you become a nurse practitioner?The process to become an NP is similar in many respects to that of a CNS, but with a few subtle distinctions. Here’s the typical trajectory for anyone who wishes to become a nurse practitioner: 1. Become an RN. You’ll need to earn either a two-year ADN or a four-year BSN, after which you can sit for your RN licensing examination. What is the expected CNS salary?In comparing CNS vs. NP positions, another area for consideration is salary. PayScale estimates that the median annual CNS salary was approximately $94,000 as of December 2021. Various factors can determine the salary of CNS positions. Some critical factors that affect CNS salary are:
What is the expected NP salary?According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners was about $118,000 in 2020. As with the CNS position, various factors can impact your earnings. These include the following:
CNS vs. NP: What are the main differences?These professions clearly overlap in many ways. Both are advanced practice nursing roles requiring RN licensing followed by either an MS in Nursing or DNP. Both provide an opportunity to treat patients directly. The two roles are reasonably comparable in overall salary expectations. In short, both are outstanding options for nursing students or professionals who wish to interact with patients and directly impact outcomes. However, some important distinctions exist between the two. Consider a few of the primary differences between the CNS vs. NP roles:
What is the job outlook for an advanced nursing professional?Whether you choose the CNS or NP designation, advanced nursing professionals are in increasingly high demand. Many of the reasons for this pertain to the evolution of the health care industry itself. As America’s population ages, more and more patients require ongoing care for chronic conditions. With medical schools struggling to keep pace, many parts of the country are already experiencing physician shortages. Nurse practitioners have been called upon to fill primary care roles and ensure that there are no gaps in coverage. Due to these and other factors, the BLS projects strong job growth for NPs: 45% between 2020 and 2030. This is much higher than the 8% projected average job growth rate for all professions. Though the BLS doesn’t offer a figure for the CNS role, it might be assumed that this advanced nursing position will benefit from many of the same factors that are contributing to growth in the NP field. Certainly, those who wish to make a real-world impact on patient care should find plenty of opportunity in either the NP or CNS role. Certified nurse specialist vs. nurse practitioner: Which is right for me?For those who are looking to make a difference on behalf of patients, it may be hard to decide between these two fields. Though both can provide rewarding career trajectories, there are some practical reasons for why you might choose one over the other. One of the main deciding factors should be your desire to work directly with patients as opposed to your interest in research, education, and policymaking. If your primary intention is to assess and treat patients, then you may find it more satisfying to work as an NP. However, if you’re drawn to the idea of consulting, analyzing and improving care delivery systems, or making a broader institutional impact, then the CNS position might be better aligned with your ambitions. Another important distinction is the type of patient care you wish to deliver. With the NP position, you’ll have the option to choose from a range of specialties or provide primary care in an FNP role. With the CNS role, you’ll have less opportunity to work in a straightforward primary care role; instead, you’ll need to focus your practice more narrowly. Explore CNS vs. NP programsAdvanced practice nurses play an increasingly major role in our health care system. If you decide that being a nurse practitioner is better suited to your interests and professional ambitions, Northeastern University offers programs to help you cultivate the skills and confidence you need to be a successful practitioner. We offer an online MS in Nursing program with three NP concentrations: AGPCNP, FNP, and PMHNP. Explore the programs and courses, and start the application process online. Sources: National Association of Certified Nurse Specialists, What Is a CNS? What is difference between a nurse and a nurse practitioner?Although both registered nurses and nurse practitioners focus on patient observation and care, the largest difference between the two roles is that NPs are permitted to prescribe treatments, order tests, and diagnose patients—duties normally performed by physicians—whereas RNs are not.
What is the difference between a clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner?NPs deliver direct primary care. They often practice autonomously or with healthcare providers. CNSs tend to hold less practice autonomy, but have considerable input in managing patient care. CNSs provide leadership to nurses and other staff members.
What can a nurse practitioner do vs a doctor?A primary difference between physicians and NPs is the fact that all doctors can prescribe medication to patients as a part of their duties. Nurse practitioners also prescribe medicine, but in some states they must be directly overseen by a doctor or physician in order to do so.
What is the role of the clinical nurse specialist?Clinical nurse specialists provide direct patient care, serve as expert consultants for nursing staffs and take an active role in improving health care delivery systems. Clinical nurse specialists often work in management positions and may also develop or work with a team to develop policies and procedures.
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What does a clinical nurse practitioner do
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