The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is an advanced practice nurse whose function is to improve outcomes in patient care, in collaboration with nursing staff, the interdisciplinary team, and organizational leaders. The CNS influences across three spheres-the patient and family, nurses and nursing practice, and at the organizational/systems level, while demonstrating competency in leadership, clinical expertise, education, collaboration, consultation, research and evidence-based practice, coaching and mentoring, and ethical decision-making and advocacy

1. Clinical judgment: Models advanced assessment and interpretation, implements nursing care, and evaluates outcomes for patient populations.
2. Facilitator of Learning: Demonstrates clinical expertise while supporting clinical nurses to integrate new evidence into practice. Provides education or teaching skills to clinical teams, patients and family.
3. Collaboration: Focuses on (and role models) interprofessional team building and effective team functioning.
4. Response to Diversity: Reviews alternative approaches and implementing planned change to meet needs considering cultural, social, family and system diversity.
5. Clinical Inquiry: Interprets and uses research to evaluate practice, and collaborates in research. 
6. Systems Thinking: Responsible for innovation and change in the patient care system.Able to make connections within components.
7. Advocacy/Moral Agency: Influences the negotiation of moral dilemmas, allocating resources, directing patient care and access to care.
8. Caring Practices: Responds to subtle patient and family changes: engages with each unique patient in a compassionate manner. 

Requirements:

• Active Delaware nursing license 
• Active Delaware Advanced Practice Nurse (as a Clinical Nurse Specialist) Licensure Required
• National Board Certification as a Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
• American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) upon hire
• Graduate of accredited school of nursing, MSN required * Would consider a final graduate year student with cardiac pediatric experience 
• Minimum 5 year related clinical experience