Moving Forward with Role Recognition for Clinical Nurse Specialists

The Consensus Model for APRN Regulation: Licensure, Accreditation, Certification, and Education requires the recognition and regulation of all four advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) roles: certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), certified nurse midwife (CNM), certified nurse practitioner (CNP), and clinical nurse specialist (CNS). Today, CNPs and CNMs have APRN role recognition in all U.S. jurisdictions but the CNS role is not recognized in 10 jurisdictions. This article focuses on the lack of role recognition of the CNS. It also discusses the role of the CNS in advanced nursing practice and what needs to be done to move it forward to full consensus.