Clinical Nurse Specialist Positions (1)
There is 1 current clinical nurse specialist listing.
Market Snapshot
What current Clinical Nurse Specialist listings show
Who is hiring
The only current clinical nurse specialist listing nationwide is posted by Trinity Health.
- Trinity Health1 listing
How current the listings are
1 of these 1 listing was posted in the last 30 days, and the newest was posted on September 4, 2026.
Locations
Where Clinical Nurse Specialist listings are
The Role
The Clinical Nurse Specialist role at a glance
Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) are APRNs who improve care at three levels at once: direct patient care in a specialty population, advancing nursing practice at the bedside, and driving system-level quality and safety outcomes.
Health systems deploy CNSs across critical care, medical-surgical, pediatric, and other specialty lines, leading evidence-based practice changes, mentoring nursing staff, and owning quality metrics that span whole units.
Requirements & certification
- Graduate CNS program (MSN or DNP) in a defined specialty population
- National certification such as AGCNS-BC through ANCC or the ACCNS credentials through AACN
- Active state APRN licensure; CNS title recognition and prescriptive authority vary by state
- Employers screen for quality-improvement, evidence-based-practice, and staff-education experience
Highlights
Why Clinical Nurse Specialist?
System-Level Impact
CNS-led practice changes move outcomes for entire units, not single panels.
Evidence Into Practice
Translating research into bedside protocols is the core CNS craft.
Education & Mentorship
Developing nursing staff is built into the role, not squeezed around it.
Compensation
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) salary
CNS compensation varies with the health system's model for the role: clinical ladder placement, specialty line, and quality-program scope all move the number. Compare posted salary ranges on individual listings for current, real-world figures.
See the full NP salary guideUsing This Page
How to use this page
This page covers an advanced practice role with its own certification and licensure path, separate from nurse practitioner certification. Read each listing's credential requirements closely, and confirm state licensure and supervision rules with the state board before applying, since states set them individually.
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Common Questions
Clinical Nurse Specialist Jobs FAQ
What does a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) do?
CNSs are APRNs who work at three levels at once: direct specialty patient care, advancing nursing practice at the bedside, and driving system-level quality and safety outcomes. There is currently 1 CNS position listed here across critical care, medical-surgical, pediatric, and other specialty lines.
How is a CNS different from a nurse practitioner?
Both are APRN roles, but they optimize for different things: nurse practitioners center on direct patient management and prescribing, while CNSs blend direct care with staff development, evidence-based practice change, and unit-level quality ownership. Prescriptive authority for CNSs varies more by state than it does for NPs.
What certification do clinical nurse specialists need?
A graduate CNS program (MSN or DNP) in a defined specialty population, then national certification, for example AGCNS-BC through ANCC or the ACCNS credentials through AACN, alongside state APRN licensure. CNS title recognition varies by state, so verify the rules with the state board.
Where do clinical nurse specialists work?
Predominantly health systems and hospitals, across critical care, perioperative, medical-surgical, oncology, and pediatric service lines, plus quality departments and professional-development teams. Compensation varies with the system's model for the role; compare posted ranges on individual listings.