Clinical Nurse Specialist vs Advance Practice Nurse - Essay Example

These people are trained to care for critically ill patients and are able to practice their profession in a fast-paced environment. On the other hand, the Advanced Practice Nurses also have the qualities of CNS but have gained the mastery of a specialized area3. Merging the roles of CNS and APN would disregard the credibility of a specialized nurse. If the merging of the CNS and APN role pushed through, the future nurses would think that having the CNS degree is good enough since CNS and APN’s role is just the same. This idea may have a negative effect on the part of future nurses instead of being motivated to pursue a better education and a career. In this sense, the quality and competency of APN would diminish in the long run.

Clinical Nurse Specialists play a critical role in providing direct care to the patient and his/her family members. At the same time, CNS is responsible for shaping and creating a healing environment for the patient and his/her family and builds a good relationship with the caregivers and other health professionals. CNS is considered competent in providing direct patient care. They are trained to use the nursing framework in caring for the patients and families. Although some of them are considered a specialist in a particular area of patient care.

According to AACN, nursing specialties must remain evolving. It is said that we must follow the NCSBN Criteria for APRN Certification Programs which includes the requirements that Advanced Nursing Practice Specialty must be added to the education program.4 If all the future CNS will have the APRN certification, the demand for the specialization will come to a point that it will be less than the supply of specialized nurses5. Also, if all the CNS will be required to take the APRN certification, it is possible for the country to have a shortage of nurses who will be dedicated to performing the tasks of CNS6. Similarly, the role of CNS in providing excellent advanced practice nursing services which are in demand for improving the quality of life of each individual as well as providing these people, the community, and the general public the access to the health care services may also be divided since most of these people would decide to choose a career based on their specialization.

Lastly, the salary received by the APNs is higher than those of the CNS. If all the CNS will have the APRN certificate, then it will be very costly for the hospitals to shoulder the additional operating expenses.7 If this happens, then the hospital will be forced to charge the additional service fee to the patients. We are aware that not all Americans can afford the high cost of hospitalization. Therefore, increasing their hospital bills because of merging the roles of CNS and APN would only add a financial burden to the patients and his family. It will also violate the rule that the US health care systems should be accessible, affordable, and available to the public.

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