Today the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) announced the call for abstracts for its 2019 annual conference: A Catalyst for Practice Change: The CNS. Due to the number of high-quality abstracts submitted in recent years, conference planners have been able to enhance the program to accept more opportunities for clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) and other advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to present on their research and work.
Clinical nurse specialists are one of the four types of APRNs. They have education and training in advanced nursing care, physiology, pharmacology and physical assessment. CNSs’ work varies; they can provide diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing management of patients, advance nursing practice, and improve clinical processes to achieve greater safety and quality. A recent nationwide survey, conducted by NACNS, found that CNSs spend most of their time providing direct patient care (22 percent), teaching nurses and staff (20 percent), consulting with nurses, staff and others (20 percent), leading evidence-based practice projects (14 percent) and assisting other nurses and staff with direct patient care (12 percent). There are more than 70,000 clinical nurse specialists.
The association’s Research Agenda mirrors the 2019 topics of interest. They include:
- Clinical Practice Application (patient-centered outcomes, reduction in complications, comparative effectiveness projects, non-disease specific phenomena);
- Health Care System (delivery, services, costs, safety, nurse-sensitive indicators);
- Health Care Policy (scope of practice, regulation, prescriptive authority);
- Health Promotion (wellness management, disease management, symptom management, quality of life, functional status, medications and other therapeutics);
- Education (healthcare provider/students, patients, families, populations [vulnerable or unique], communities);
- Palliative Care Across the Lifespan; and
- Pharmacology.
This year’s NACNS call for abstracts reflects individual podium, symposium, clinical management lectures, workshop sessions and posters. More information about the types of sessions is available online.
The deadline for abstract submissions is May 21 and the deadline for student poster submissions is December 4.
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Founded in 1995, The National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists is the only association representing the clinical nurse specialist (CNS). CNSs are advanced practice registered nurses who work in a variety of specialties to ensure high-quality, evidence-based, patient-centered care. As leaders in health care settings, CNSs provide direct patient care and lead initiatives to improve care and clinical outcomes, and reduce costs. NACNS is dedicated to advancing CNS practice and education, removing certification and regulatory barriers, and assuring the public access to quality CNS services.