Different roles for CNS's??? Come on guys share what you do!

Thanks for the input!

I am a APN in the state of TX. I graduated in 2000 from MSN program (CNS track), my experience has always been Critical care, so I took the CCNS exam offered by AACN. Texas recognizes it as path to Advanced Practice. My MSN (CNS) program allowed me to obtain prescriptive authority (I have a number with the board), however I do not use it in my current role and have never used it, but keep the Pharm hours update so that I may keep the authority in case one day I may want to use it.

I am moved from traditional CNS role as critical care educator into a safety position (patient safety manager) for large acadmeic medical center. It was a complete turn around, totally new. I am still new to the role, so I am still learning. It is a side of nursing I knew was there, but never really thought much about it lots of JCAHO readiness stuff, etc...

I would say look for a CNS program that offers prescriptive authority, that way you can have it if you ever work in a role that needs it.

Can CNS or an NP work as a Hopitalist?

Is it dependent on the state you live in?

I would love to work as a hospitalist someday.....

Kinda silly since from my house on Lake Michingan I could drive from Michigan through NW Indiana and into Chicago in an hour and 30 minutes!

Yep, 3 states in 90 minuts with hospitals in all of them.

TraumaRUs, these folks need to get their act together before pups like me graduate!

I'm starting as an APN in Pain Management in January. I'll be working with an MD who's in solo practice. This is new for her. She had been in a group Anesthesiology practice, but then went for Family Practice training and has now set up a solo practice in pain management. She is planning on Pain Managment consultations, Palliative Care, and Hospice. I will be working in her office and seeing all of her patients in the hospital. I will also see the Hospice patients in the inpatient hospice unit (which she set up). She said she is training me to do everything that she does except, of course, the epidurals. She is so excited about teaching me and working together!!!!
I will see patients independently in the office. I will make rounds on all inpatients independently. She is training me and we will be working together side by side for about 3 months or however long it takes to know her habits. We are also both HIGHLY interested in holistic care. This is my special area and she has little experience or knowledge about it. She wants to learn from me and have me initiate holistic care for the office as well as apply it independently with our patients.
I am also setting up an independent business in holistic care. I am starting with a website with resources for the public and I plan on teaching the public and eventually nurses. My first class will be in January 2007. I am teaching the public about Bach Flower Essences (which the MD I'm starting to work with wants to know about and help her use in the office. She doesn't know anything about it except that she's sees it as a promising treatment, but wants to work with someone who knows how to diagnose and prescribe it.) (I'm certified at a basic level at this point, but plan to continue my education in this area.) I'm also a Reiki Practitioner. I have also studied many other areas of holistic care, as well as Metaphysics. She has recently gotten priviledges at 2 area hospitals and is starting to receive referrels. She didn't know how long it would take to start and estimated it would take longer than this. She needs me to start over 2 months sooner than her original estimate. We are going to do some remarkable things together. I graduated almost 30 years ago from an MS program in the CNS track. There was no NP program at that time. Nurses continue to shoot themselves in the foot about education. Other healthcare professionals don't care which degree you have. They want to know what you are interested in and what do you want to do. I just had a thought--I should put this in the NP Forum also.
I am: APN-BC, Adult Health

I've just read through more of the posts. I noticed that CNS is not an APN in all states!!!!! I'm in Illinois and as someone previously noted in Illinois the CNSs, NPs, CRNAs, Nurse Midwives are all APNs with the same license. I also have prescriptive ability (an additional license which required the signature of the MD I'm working with). She was interested in either a Physician's Assistant or an APN. Since I can have prescriptive ability in Illinois, including Controlled Substances she was able to choose me to work with her. I feel very bad that this is not the case in all states. The public really needs to know what nurses do and what APNs do and can do in the future. And I agree with the post that states she tells the patients that she is a CNS. I have a similar situation. Everyone assumes I'm an NP.

I've recently started looking around for another PCP for myself (not too happy with my current one), and I've started to see APNs popping up in nearly every doctor's office. NPs are infiltrating the field, which is a good thing!

I've decided to make my next PCP a Nurse Practitioner, since I feel the doctors really don't listen anymore.