CNS or NP Degree in California

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I am a 20 something RN with just over 2.5 years of critical care experience under my belt. I have always wanted to go back and get my masters (which now may be my DNP) but I'm having a tough time deciding.

I recently hurt my back, so while I recover I may take a clinic job or something away from the bedside. I am not sure I will make it back to the bedside.

I am in California where a Clinical Nurse Specialist plays a different role than a Nurse Practitioner. I am much more interested in the education aspect (CNS) vs the provider role (NP), but it seems there is MUCH more demand for NPs than CNS's. Can any CA CNS's chime in with their experience in finding a job they enjoy?

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

I'm in California. Our hospital has CNS' in the traditional role as expert nurses in various specialty units or service lines (i.e., one for Adult Acute Care floors, one for Adult Med-Surg ICU, one for Neurosciences etc.). I don't know anyone who is active in this site but one thing in common is that our current crop of CNS' are older, highly experienced nurses, who have been in the role for years. There is some turn-over (i.e., retirement and promotions) but many stay in their roles long term. Maybe your best bet is to get in touch with the state's CNS association: CACNS. Of note, some of the senior nurses in our ICU's are actually CNS trained as well but have taken advantage of the ladder promotion model we have where they continue to be staff nurses but have the highest designation in terms of title and pay and are considered clinical resource for the individual units they work at.

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CNS ...I didn't know those were still an option.

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

Sadly, the CNS option is getting more limited. The university we're affiliated with now only offer an Adult CNS option as this is the only ongoing certification currently offered by ANCC. It's a shame because we have a separate children's hospital and in-pt mental health facility with no existing source of training for CNS' in these respective specialties when the ones we have on staff retire.

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Specializes in Pediatric Cardiac ICU.

I hope that the CNS role is making a comeback because it is probably the route I will take for my advanced degree in the future. It seems like in NYC (where I'm located) it is getting more popular, but slowly.

If you are set on not going the NP route, I think that a CNS degree would be a good fit as it fills many roles - not only CNS positions (obviously), but also positions such as unit educators, service line providers such as wound care clinical nurse specialists, etc. But maybe I'm too biased/optimistic.

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