Family/Individual across the Lifespan CNS?

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Specializes in Nursing Admin & Advanced Practice.

I was browsing on the NACNS website and came across an area describing current initiatives with one of the following being "Population-based CNS Competency development underway - Women's Health/Gender Specific and Family/Individual across the Lifespan." (http://www.nacns.org/html/membership.php) Has anyone else heard anything about the development of a Family/Lifespan CNS certification? I assume it would be the CNS version of the FNP. I've thought this would have been an essential certification from the start. I work in a non-differentiated ED where nursing see patients across the lifespan; I see the lifespan SOP being typical in many sub-specialties. The current categories of certification for the CNS is somewhat limiting and necessitating that practitioners receive and maintain multiple certifications if their population served is across the lifespan. Excited for the CNS world if this is a direction leadership is actually pursuing.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Wow...that would be extremely nice. In order to see everyone, I did both an adult as well as pediatric CNS.

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Specializes in Nursing Education, CVICU, Float Pool.

Wow. That would be interesting.

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Specializes in home health, neuro, palliative care.

This is already being implemented as part of the APRN Consensus model. The move is to a population-focus instead of setting-focus. For instance, the acute/critical care CNS program I am in is now an adult-gero CNS program, and we are expected to manage that population from wellness to critical care.

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Specializes in Nursing Admin & Advanced Practice.

@Melina

Is you school working on developing a "Lifespan" or "Family" scope of practice preparation CNS? I too am in a Adult-Gero CNS program so I understand the APRN consensus model and the transition to a population focus rather than a setting focus to initial certification. If I want to someday be able to see all ages I will have to complete a post masters certification in pediatrics after completing my initial Adult / Gero certification. So far the CNS does not have a family or lifespan (birth to death) certification available. To have this SOP one requires dual certification in adults and pediatrics. If you have any information on development of a family CNS certification or training programs it seems a few of us on here would be interested in learning more. What are your plans when you are done with your A/G CNS program?

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I was browsing on the NACNS website and came across an area describing current initiatives with one of the following being "Population-based CNS Competency development underway - Women's Health/Gender Specific and Family/Individual across the Lifespan." (NACNS :: National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists) Has anyone else heard anything about the development of a Family/Lifespan CNS certification? I assume it would be the CNS version of the FNP. I've thought this would have been an essential certification from the start. I work in a non-differentiated ED where nursing see patients across the lifespan; I see the lifespan SOP being typical in many sub-specialties. The current categories of certification for the CNS is somewhat limiting and necessitating that practitioners receive and maintain multiple certifications if their population served is across the lifespan. Excited for the CNS world if this is a direction leadership is actually pursuing.

Has anyone else heard if this is going forward?

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Any updates on coming up with a family/lifespan CNS?

Also anybody know of any RN(adn) to MSN - CNS programs? please lets keep this going.

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Specializes in Nursing Admin & Advanced Practice.

I haven't heard anything further about the development of the family/lifespan CNS certification.

I know Winona State University (http://www.winona.edu) has an RN to MS professional pathway for obtaining a BSN along the way to an advanced practice graduate degree.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Wow - what a great link imenid37. However, what certification exam are they taking?

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In CA, people are certified by the state to be a CNS. If they complete a program where a national exam is available they can take that too. Some states have started to certify NP and CNS only in the populations identified by the consensus model. In DE, for example, family is one of the identified populations. So after 7/14, you must graduate from a programs focusing on one of the populations and take a national exam. If no exam is available, then you can be licensed by the state by virtue of completion of the education. People who have a CNS degree and are already licensed in a non-population specialty can still be licensed by grandfathering as long as they do not let the license lapse. Several other states similary look at the populations.

New Rules for Delaware Licensed Advanced Practice Nurses

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Wow - thanks for that info.

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