- A CNS in a health care setting performs all of the expected duties of a nurse. Additionally, a CNS can diagnose and treat injuries and problems that fall within the scope of her specialty. A CNS may work in a structured hospital setting such as a hospital or nursing home, in an educational setting, or independently in her own practice.
- One type of CNS chooses to specialize by the population of the patient. Different populations could include neonatal or pediatric patients while the opposite end of the spectrum could include geriatric patients.
- By focusing on a specific type of disease, a CNS is able to provide the type of specialized care that other nurses are not able to provide. Examples of this CNS career include oncology, diabetes and infectious disease.
- A CNS may choose to specialize her career in the emergency department or critical care part of the hospital. Others may choose to focus their careers on community health nursing.
- Psychiatric or rehabilitation nurses are two types of CNSs that focus on the specific type of care given to a patient. Another type is a cardiovascular CNS.
- A CNS who focuses on specific type of health problem might choose to specialize in pain, stress or wounds.
- A CNS's area of specialization is determined by the academic coursework and clinical experience the nurse takes during the master's or doctorate program. That program will be under the college or university's nursing school and will need to have a CNS specialization. Different nursing schools offer different specializations, depending on the faculty and facilities. If a nurse wants to specialize as a pediatric CNS, she should make sure the nursing school she wants to attend offers the appropriate coursework.
