Join UChicago Medicine, as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in our Nursing Administration department.
The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is a Master's or Doctorate prepared Advanced Practice Nurse with APRN Illinois licensure and certification in a specialty area of nursing. In addition to being the expert clinician in a specialty area, the Clinical Nurse Specialist is also an educator, consultant, researcher, role model, patient advocate, change agent, leader, and cost-effective practitioner.
In collaboration with the medical staff and nursing staff, the Clinical Nurse Specialist provides clinical support to improve patient care, engagement and clinical outcomes. The Clinical Nurse Specialist elevates the standard of professional nursing practice at UCM by developing, coaching and mentoring nurses to become expert clinicians and leaders.
Essential Job Functions
- Collaborates with the multi-disciplinary team in the health status assessment, the provision of nursing care, and the development and implementation of the plan of care for patients and families with complex and/or unique patient care needs.
- Identifies ethical issues in practice and increases awareness of the staff and its impact on ethical decision-making
- Role models and mentors behaviors to establish an environment that promotes excellence in patient care, ethical decision-making and patient advocacy.
- Integrates national standards of care, best practice and benchmarking data into policies, procedures, guidelines, protocols, and clinical competencies.
- Collaborates with the patient, family, and multi-disciplinary team to develop, implement, and evaluate patient education programs based on individual learning needs.
- Collaborates with leadership team to develop models of contemporary cost-effective patient care.
- Identifies the expected outcomes of clinical nursing practice, both in general and for specific patient populations; recommends care and operational processes aimed at achieving the defined outcomes; oversees outcomes assessment initiatives.
- Collaborates to develop appropriate patient care protocols relating to the physical, psychosocial, and developmental needs of neonatal, pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients; collaborates with the multi-disciplinary team to educate staff on the utilization of these guidelines and/or protocols; and evaluates the effectiveness of these protocols in nursing practice.
- Demonstrates leadership in operationalizing the mission, vision, and philosophy of nursing at the University of Chicago Medical Center
- In collaboration with the leadership team, recommends practice changes and protocols to achieve compliance with standards and regulations of licensing, regulatory, and accrediting agencies.
- Influences the development of and compliance with medical center policies, procedures and protocols.
- Role models, teaches, and/or mentors professional nurses in their nursing practice, and accountability for their role within the healthcare team.
- Initiates or participates in multi-disciplinary teams to develop and implement programs that focus on patient care issues and positive clinical outcomes.
- Initiates consultation with other members of leadership team to optimize resource utilization and patient care delivery.
- Demonstrates leadership in creative problem-solving strategies.
- Uses creative, innovative systems to role model, teach, coach, and/or mentor nursing staff.
- Enhances staff competence by providing clinical consultation and educational offerings in area of expertise.
- Assesses staff learning needs, initiates creative learning opportunities for staff i.e. Nursing Grand Rounds, Journal Club, conferences, etc.
- Assesses care team members' abilities to provide patient education and supports the development of the staff in patient education and engagement.
- Assesses and evaluates the team members' abilities to transfer learnings into nursing practice with intentional focus on high quality, safe care.
- Recommends to leadership team the core competencies/minimum credentials and certifications for staff nursing practice in specific areas.
- Encourages and promotes staff involvement in professional organizations and activities.
- Collaborates with key hospital and unit leadership in developing and monitoring standards of care and quality indicators based on Hospital CQI data.
- Develops and implements patient focused CQI tools which assess and evaluate patient outcomes.
- Communicates relevant research/EBP findings and CQI data to staff.
- Promotes utilization of research/EBP findings and CQI data by making appropriate recommendations for change in policies, procedures, protocols and practice Implements evidence-based practice findings in clinical practice.
- Provides mentorship to other health care providers in using and evaluating research findings and CQI data to develop best practice.
- Provides mentorship to other health care providers in using and evaluating research findings and CQI data to recommend and implement best practices.
- May participate in independent and/or collaborative research opportunities.
- Participates in the UCM Nursing and Evidence-Based Practice Research Committee by reviewing research protocols, as appropriate.
- Consults with leadership group regarding management issues as requested.
- Consults with patients and the multidisciplinary team to make expert clinical recommendations and appropriate referrals in the development of the treatment plan.
- Consults in area of clinical expertise to facilitate the achievement of intra- and interdisciplinary best practice.
- Consults with care team members to recommend solutions to achieve their learning needs.
- Consults with care team members to tailor the delivery of care to meet the diverse needs and strengths of staff members, patients, and families.
- Consults with professional and lay personnel within the Hospitals and the community.
- Fulfills requirements for maintaining advanced practice certification and licensure.
- Advances the knowledge of the health care community at large and the practice of nursing through presentations, publications, and involvement in professional organizations.
- Collaborates with the clinical peer group to coordinate educational offerings, establish standards of care, and develop strategies that improve professional clinical practice.
- Promotes the role and scope of practice of the CNS at local, state, national and /or international levels
- Performs other duties as requested
Required Qualifications
- Master's Degree in nursing from an accredited program required
- Application for Credentialing
- Application for Privileges and Delineation of Privileges, as applicable
Preferred Qualifications
- DNP or PhD preferred
- Minimum 3 - 5 years’ experience in clinical specialty area Previous experience in advanced practice role preferred
Position Details
- Job Type/FTE: Full-Time, 1.0 FTE
- Shift: Days
- Unit/Department:
- CBA Code: Non-Union
We’ve been at the forefront of medicine since 1899. We provide superior healthcare with compassion, always mindful that each patient is a person, an individual. To accomplish this, we need employees with passion, talent and commitment… with patients and with each other. We’re in this together: working to advance medical innovation, serve the health needs of the community, and move our collective knowledge forward. If you’d like to add enriching human life to your profile, UChicago Medicine is for you. Here at the forefront, we’re doing work that really matters. Join us. Bring your passion.
UChicago Medicine is growing; discover how you can be a part of this pursuit of excellence at: UChicago Medicine Career Opportunities
UChicago Medicine is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, parental status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status and other legally protected characteristics.
As a condition of employment, all employees are required to complete a pre-employment physical, background check, drug screening, and comply with the flu vaccination requirements prior to hire. Medical and religious exemptions will be considered for flu vaccination consistent with applicable law.
Compensation & Benefits Overview
UChicago Medicine is committed to transparency in compensation and benefits. The pay range provided reflects the anticipated wage or salary reasonably expected to be offered for the position.
The pay range is based on a full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) and is reflective of current market data, reviewed on an annual basis. Compensation offered at the time of hire will vary based on candidate qualifications and experience and organizational considerations, such as internal equity. Pay ranges for employees subject to Collective Bargaining Agreements are negotiated by the medical center and their respective union.
Review the full complement of benefit options for eligible roles at Benefits - UChicago Medicine.