Pay range: $54.01 - $81.01 depending on experience, plus full benefits.

ST. CHARLES HEALTH SYSTEM

JOB DESCRIPTION

TITLE:                                     Clinical Nurse Specialist  

REPORTS TO POSITION:     Manager – Clinical Practice & Professional Development

DEPARTMENT:                      Clinical Practice & Professional Development

DATE LAST REVIEWED:       March 6, 2024

OUR VISION:                Creating America’s healthiest community, together

OUR MISSION:             In the spirit of love and compassion, better health, better care, better value

OUR VALUES:              Accountability, Caring and Teamwork

DEPARTMENTAL SUMMARY:  The Clinical Practice & Professional Development (CPPD) Department is a system service department that provides clinical practice support and professional development opportunities to nursing and allied health caregivers at St. Charles Health System. CPPD also provides professional development opportunities to caregivers employed in non-clinical positions at St. Charles Health System and the Central Oregon/Pacific Northwest Communities.  Specifically, CPPD delivers services through the following educational/practice service lines: Onboarding/Orientation, Competency Management, Continuing Education, Professional Role Development, Collaborative Partnerships and the American Heart Association St. Charles Health System Training Center.

POSITION OVERVIEW:  The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) serves as the clinical practice expert in the delivery of evidence-based nursing interventions within their specialty focus The CNS possesses advanced knowledge of the science of nursing within their specialty area and applies that knowledge through the three spheres of influence: patient/family, nurses and nursing practice, and the organization/system.  The CNS translates theory and evidence to advance the health and knowledge of the patient/family, nurses and nursing practice and the organization/system.  The CNS practices nursing within the nursing process, as a licensed advanced practice nurse, through the standards of assessment, diagnosis, outcome identification, planning and implementation and evaluation. The CNS is competent in the standards of care and standards of professional performance specific to their specialty area and integrates the CNS competencies across the three spheres of influence.  The CNS practices nursing with a consistent focus on targeting quality, cost-effective outcomes through patient/family care by influencing the practice of nurses in their specialty area and by influencing the organization to support nursing evidence-based practice. This position does not directly manage other caregivers, however, may be asked to review and provide feedback on the work of other caregivers.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES:

Provides leadership and clinical expertise within the interdisciplinary team in the management of complex patient issues.

Partners with specialty specific leadership to develop and evaluate the delivery of nursing practice in their specialty area.

Applies knowledge of differential illness diagnoses and treatments in comprehensive, holistic assessments of patients within the context of disease, diagnoses, and treatments in order to explicate etiologies that require nursing interventions to prevent and/or alleviate illness.

Provides leadership and clinical expertise within the interdisciplinary team, participating in unit quality rounds and in the management of complex patient issues.

Collaborates with other leadership, and provides consultation and clinical resources to staff, management, administration, and external agencies and organizations related to area of expertise as well as the value of nursing care within the organization.

Provides leadership and expertise in designing, implementing, and evaluation innovative individual and/or population-based programs of care to achieve desired quality, cost-effective, nurse-sensitive outcomes.

Designs, implements, and evaluates innovative individual and/or population-based programs of care to achieve desired quality, cost-effective nurse-sensitive outcomes in areas that are targeted and prioritized in collaboration with operations and medical staff.  

Provides input, direction and expertise in the assessment/development, implementation and evaluation of orientation, annual competency assessment, and specialty or expertise related continuing education programs.

Collaborates with the manager, staff, healthcare providers and other disciplines to monitor and ensure compliance with local, state, federal and other agencies.

Establishes and monitors care standards and facilitates changes(s) in area of clinical practice. Initiates change for nursing practices and patient plans of care based on data analyses.

In collaboration with other healthcare practitioners, contributes to the achievement of service and clinical quality goals.

Coaches clinical nurses in the professional development model and mentors patient care managers, coaches, and other professional peer review team members in the process where applicable.

Promotes research and evidence-based practice through the review, interpretation, and implementation of research findings. Facilitates development of abstracts, research proposals and conduction of research. Coaches and mentors clinical caregivers to participate in research opportunities. Role models the use of research and evidence-based findings.

Demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served. Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the lifespan and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient’s status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient’s requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department’s policies and procedures. Age-specific information is developed further in the department job standards.

Serves as a leader, consultant, mentor, change agent in advancing the practice of nursing among nurses within assigned area and across the organization to achieve desired outcomes.

Supports the development of specialty-based preceptors and their professional practice evaluations.

Advances nursing practice through innovative, evidence-based interventions, best-practice guidelines and implementation of professional standards and creation/alignment of organizational policies that direct the care of nursing caregivers and other providers of healthcare to improve patient, family, nursing, and organizational outcomes.

Leads multidisciplinary groups to facilitate collaboration with other disciplines in the attainment of outcomes across the continuum of care.

Interprets the dimensions of nursing care requiring resources at the system level and provide leadership to assure the organization adequately supports the delivery of nursing care.

Expands the practice of nursing through ongoing generation and acquisition of scientific knowledge and skills to maintain expert clinical competencies that leads to desired outcomes.

Demonstrates professional citizenship and fiscal responsibility in the healthcare system by focusing on health policy and/or resource management to ensure quality, cost-effective outcomes of nursing care.  

Supports lean principles of continuous improvement with energy and enthusiasm, functioning as a champion of change.

Provides and maintains a safe environment for caregivers, patients, and guests.

Conducts all activities with the highest standards of professionalism and confidentiality.  Complies with all applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures, supporting the organization’s corporate integrity efforts by acting in an ethical and appropriate manner, reporting known or suspected violation of applicable rules, and cooperating fully with all organizational investigations and proceedings.

Delivers customer service and/or patient care in a manner that promotes goodwill, is timely, efficient, and accurate.

May perform additional duties of similar complexity within the organization, as required or assigned.

EDUCATION                 

Required:  Master of Science in Nursing as a Clinical Nurse Specialist from an accredited college or university

Preferred:  Post-Graduate Nursing Certificate in Nursing Education from an accredited college or university         

Administration

LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION/REGISTRATION

Required:

Current Oregon RN License.

Current license to practice as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in the State of Oregon by the OR State Board of Nursing.

National Advanced Practice Specialty Certification from a professional organization in relevant field of clinical expertise.

Current AHA Basic Life Support for Healthcare Provider certification.

Current advanced provider certification(s) (ALS, PALS, TNCC, NRP, or other) as appropriate for their area of practice/population.

Ability to travel to business functions/trainings/meetings and all SCHS worksites.      

Preferred: ANPD specialty certification upon hire or agree to obtain when eligible.    

EXPERIENCE

Required: 3 years registered nursing clinical experience in area of specialty. 3 years Clinical Nurse Specialist experience.

Preferred:  Knowledge of Lean principles

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Must be able to wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required to perform the job safely.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Continually (75% or more): Use of clear and audible speaking voice and the ability to hear normal speech level.

Frequently (50%): Sitting, standing, walking, lifting 1-10 pounds, keyboard operation.

Occasionally (25%): Bending, climbing stairs, reaching overhead, carrying/pushing or pulling 1-10 pounds, grasping/squeezing.

Rarely (10%):  Stooping/kneeling/crouching, lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling 11-15 pounds, operation of a motor vehicle.

Never (0%):  Climbing ladder/step-stool, lifting/carrying/pushing or pulling 25-50 pounds, ability to hear whispered speech level.

Exposure to Elemental Factors

Never (0%):  Heat, cold, wet/slippery area, noise, dust, vibration, chemical solution, uneven surface.

Blood-Borne Pathogen (BBP) Exposure Category

No Risk for Exposure to BBP

Schedule Weekly Hours:

40

Caregiver Type:

Regular

Shift:

Is Exempt Position?

Yes

Job Family:

NON CONTRACT RN SPECIALIST

Scheduled Days of the Week:

Monday-Friday

Shift Start & End Time:

0800-1700