CNS vs NP

I currently work Bone Marrow Transplant and the hospital I work for only has a CNS or a NP program. Both have an Oncology specialty program for both tracks. Our bone marrow program takes ICU patients so I am on the fence if I should stay in bone marrow (which may be limiting) or go to MICU. Besides that, I really want to go to graduate school. I don't really have an interest in becoming an NP but I don't know enough about what a CNS does. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Hi there. I see you live in IL as I do. In IL as to scope of practice, CNS=NP. That said, I live in central IL and we see no difference in the way a CNS is utilized vs NP. With the Consensus Model and LACE I think even in IL we are eventually going to see FNPs phased out of the hospital in favor of ANCP or PEds ACNP. However that is not the case at this time .

What at is your goal with your MSN? Hospital, clinic, something else? Is there a person in your hospital who has a job that you would envision for yourself?

[Riburn3, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP]

Here in Texas and New Mexico, the CNS role has been phased out of just about every university in favor of NP programs. Legally, in Texas the CNS is very similar to an NP in terms of scope of practice so long as the CNS took advanced clinical courses such as pharm and patho. The distinction isn't so kind in New Mexico which is an independent practice state for NP's. Most CNS's I know in NM had to go back to school for a post masters cert in NP to continue their job.

Overall, it's been my experience that the CNS is a dying breed, mainly because schools failed to differentiate to role well enough. I honestly didn't even know CNS programs still existed.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

We still have CNSs in IL.