I had a great chat with the dean of graduate nursing (at my current university) today.
She really made me feel more comfortable about the CNS role.
An NP, as many now know, is a primary care provider. Picture You (as an NP), a nurse, and a patient, in the clinic setting exam room, day in, day out. Assessment, diagnosis & ordering diagnostics. Prescriptions. Consulting with collaborative physician when needed. Developing long-term relationships with many patients--a must have for me. So all that sounds good.
The CNS? A hospital setting, ALSO advanced practice, with ability to prescribe. The difference lies in what I'd basically call teaching. Not like at school, but teaching patients management of a particular condition (like Diabetes) and seeing those patients...but also creating training programs and materials...*Training*. Lol, well it is kinda, but what I mean is educational materials and programs. So I could have a mix of seeing patients with a particular problem subset, creating material to help them get better or manage it, and also teach the staff at the hospital about that health prob. Oh yeah, & conduct research on it, too, if I wanted.
Well good grief, the CNS gets to do it all then. And since I get bored easily, this is looking pretty good.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know, there's a lotta gray areas. Both specialties can really do both types of care. But I want to get my grad degree 'on purpose;' To set out to do what it is that I want, with a clearly defined mission.
CNS? Sign me up. I'm applying to (hopefully) start grad school in January 2012. I'll have the clinical hours as a RN by the time I get done with all the 'book' classes, and would start CNS Clinicals in Jan 2013.
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