Clinical Nurse Specialist

What is a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)?
The CNS functions in various nursing leadership roles (patient care coordinator, consultation, staff development, education and clinical program development for the improvement of nursing care). The CNS functions in a variety of health care settings wherever advanced nursing practice is needed: hospitals, nursing homes, school-based clinics, ambulatory clinics, case management organizations, insurance companies. The CNS also functions under a variety of position titles such as clinical nurse specialist, clinician, director/coordinator, staff developer, case manager* or faculty* in undergraduate nursing education. A plan of study in one of the following CNS specializations is available: Adult Health Nursing, Nursing of Women, Parents, and Children, or Psychiatric Community/Mental Health Nursing. CNS graduates meet requirements to take advanced practice certification examinations in their specialty and become licensed as an Advanced Practice Nurse in Louisiana.

For further information about this program of study, please contact the Office of Student Affairs:

Phone Numbers: 504-568-4197 or 504-568-4213
Email Address: nsstuaffairs@lsuhsc.edu