On this SIG Virtual Community page, you will find information pertaining the Clinical Nurse Specialist SIG. Here, you can view myriad resources, download and complete pertinent documents, join in our discussions and much more. Welcome to our SIG Virtual Community.

CNS SIG Goals

CNSs and CNS Members Shine at Congress

As you may recall, early this year, the ONS Board approved a request from the National Association of Clincial Nurse Specialist (NACNS) to endorse the NACNS Core Practice Masters Clinical Nurse Specialist competencies in 2008.

This summer, the board received a second request to endorse the Core Practice Doctorate Clinical Nurse Specialist competencies. The core doctoral competencies are entry-level competencies for CNSs prepared in practice doctorate programs. During the  September 15, 2009 Board conference call, the ONS Board of Directors discussed this request and the recommendations from a review by several Board members and a member of the CNS SIG. After careful review, the ONS Board of Directors approved the request to endorse those competencies.  The Board feels that the competencies are comprehensive and the skills expected are congruent with those of graduates at the completion of practice doctorate CNS programs.   

By endorsing the Doctorate CNS competencies, the Board of Directors  is not making a statement that all CNSs should be doctorally prepared. 

Click here for additional information.

2009 Course Dates

October 13 - November 3, 2009

November 17 - December 8, 2009

This course offers 8.5 CNS contact hours. 

 Click here for additional information.

ANA and ISONG Co-Publish Genetics and Ethics in Health Care: New Questions in the Age of Genomic Health Nursesbooks.org, the publishing program of the American Nurses Association (ANA), in collaboration with the International Society of Nurses in Genetics (ISONG) has just released a book exploring the current ethical challenges associated with advances in genetics technology and genomic health care from a wide cross-section of cultural, racial, religious, and technical perspectives. While these advances are at the cutting edge of understanding the causal factors of health and illness, they also demand that we acknowledge and respect the deeply complex and diverse moral and ethical concerns that can impact the decisions of individual patients and the lives of their families and communities.

http://nursingworld.org/Books/pdescr.cfm?cnum=24#9781558102637

Kathleen Calzone, RN, MSN, APNG, FAAN Senior Nurse Specialist (Research) NCI/CCR/Genetics Branch 8901 Wisconsin Ave. Building 8, Room 5101 Bethesda, MD 20889 301-435-0538 Fax: 301-402-4471 font>

On January 13, 2009 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released an updated and improved version of the Surgeon General's Internet-based family health history tool.  Read more about the history tool.

In recent years, the advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) role has expanded rapidly in terms of numbers and capabilities, yet no uniform APRN regulation model currently exists across the United States. Thus, each state independently determines such important parameters as legal scope of practice, roles that are recognized, criteria for entry into advanced practice, and minimum certification requirements. These inconsistencies adversely have affected access to care for patients and created a significant barrier for APRNs who wish to move from state to state.

In 2004, a national panel, the APRN Consensus Work Group, was formed and charged with developing a uniform regulatory model for advanced practice nursing. In 2006, representatives of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Advanced Practice Advisory Panel joined the APRN Consensus Work Group in joint dialogue to work toward a future consensus model for APRN regulation. The draft recommendations of the work group have recently been released. On May 16, 2008, a special session was held at the ONS 33^rd Annual Congress in Philadelphia to discuss these recently completed recommendations. Presenters in the session provided a brief overview of the history of APRN regulation, review the demographics of oncology APRNs, and discuss the implications of the new model for oncology APRNs.

Because of the importance of APRNs caring for patients now and in the future, it is vital that the education, accreditation, certification, and licensure of APRNs be effectively aligned to ensure patient safety while expanding patient access to APRNs. APRNs, as well as educators and employers, planning are encouraged to review this information to learn more about this important report that may significantly affect their profession in the near future and for years to come.

Learn more about the proposed regulatory model.  Final Version (AUG 09) 

View the slides presented during a special session at the 33^rd ONS Annual Congress.