CNS educational programs

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Specializes in Med./Surg. and paramed. exams.

Where are the CNS programs? Any certain ones better than others? Any specific thing to look for in a CNS program? Due to my location, online will most likely be a necessity. Ideas and suggestions on schools would be greatly appreciated.

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I can't speak for which programs are good but I can refer you to the NACNS website which has a listing of all CNS programs in the US. You have to look under the, "Students," tab and you will find a program directory. I can tell you the list is out of date and you will find schools that no longer have CNS programs but it is a good starting point for your search!

http://www.nacns.org

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Specializes in Med./Surg. and paramed. exams.

Thank you.

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Where are the CNS programs? Any certain ones better than others? Any specific thing to look for in a CNS program? Due to my location, online will most likely be a necessity. Ideas and suggestions on schools would be greatly appreciated.

What kind of CNS programs? MSN-CNS? Post-Master's CNS? Adult CNS? Adult Psych CNS?

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Before anyone gets too far into researching CNS programs, be aware that the ANCC has recently announced that it is "retiring" a bunch of the current CNS certifications, and the exams and certifications will no longer be available after 2013.

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but to my understanding those certifications are not mandatory and regulations will vary from state to state.

10. What will the new certifications be and when will they launch?

As a result of the APRN Consensus Model implementation in 2015, ANCC will be creating new certifications to meet the role and/or population foci requirements. Planning for these certifications is under way, and we are pleased to announce the expected launch of:

  • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner [expected launch 2013]
  • Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner [expected launch 2013]
  • Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (across the continuum from wellness through acute care)[expected launch 2014]

ANCC's existing APRN certifications will be updated according to their regular 3-year update cycle to incorporate the requirements of the Consensus Model. These include:

  • Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
  • Family Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (across the life span)
  • Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist (across the continuum from wellness through acute care)

The process of updating these certifications may also include an evaluation of the title. return to top

11. Which certifications will be retired and when?

The certifications listed below will be retired when their current National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accreditation period expires in 2014. Retiring certifications are:

  • Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
  • Adult Nurse Practitioner
  • Adult Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
  • Gerontological Nurse Practitioner
  • Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Adult Psychiatric & Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Child/Adolescent Psychiatric & Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist

http://www.nursecredentialing.org/APRN-FAQ.aspx#11

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Hmmm - with the Consensus Model, these certifications will be MANDATORY in order to practice.

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Any of the advanced practice certifications, now or in the future, are only "mandatory" to the extent that the individual states choose to require them. When this goes through, or if the ANCC decides (hypothetically, for the sake of discussion) to require a DNP for advanced practice certification at some specific date, any state that didn't agree would be able to simply change its state rules/regs to not require national certification or a DNP -- e.g., a state could just require completion of an MSN-level graduate program in the advanced practice specialty without requiring a doctorate or national certification, and there would be nothing the ANCC, or any other nursing organization, could do about it ...

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Ok, so currently ANA offers nine CNS exams.

Adult Health CNS

Adult Psychiatric & Mental Health CNS

Child Adolescent Psych & Mental Health CNS

CNS Core Exam

Diabetes Management - Advanced

Home Health CNS

Gerontological CNS

Pediatric CNS

Public\Community Health CNS

and four of them will be retired soon:

  • Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Adult Psychiatric & Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Child/Adolescent Psychiatric & Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist

At the same time they will offer a new certification for Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (across the continuum from wellness through acute care)[expected launch 2014]

and will update Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist (across the continuum from wellness through acute care) certification.

For NPs, it looks like

  • Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
  • Adult Nurse Practitioner

will be retired with no alternative certifications available.

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Where are the CNS programs? Any certain ones better than others? Any specific thing to look for in a CNS program? Due to my location, online will most likely be a necessity. Ideas and suggestions on schools would be greatly appreciated.

CSUDH and Jacksonville State University had online CNS programs.

Umass Boston has a post-master's CNS certificate program for those wanting to finish up their requirements to take the CNS exam.

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Specializes in ICU, M/S,Nurse Supervisor, CNS.
Where are the CNS programs? Any certain ones better than others? Any specific thing to look for in a CNS program? Due to my location, online will most likely be a necessity. Ideas and suggestions on schools would be greatly appreciated.
I'm currently in my second semester of an online post-masters CNS program at Purdue University Calumet. So far I love it; the professors (at least the ones I've met so far) are very knowledgeable and obviously enjoy educating students. I did have to physically visit the school for a few days for the health assessment class, but other than that, its completely online. They do also have a traditional CNS online program (BSN to MSN) and financially they're not too expensive. My two classes last semester ran me about 2800 and that was 7 credit hours; this semester was 2400 for 6 credit hours. It's still part of Purdue, but cheaper because its not the main campus.
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