Non-Prescribing CNS-What's Your Role?

[MurseJJ]

So lately I've been curious about the role of the CNS. I don't plan on going back to school for 2-3 years at the least, however I'm interested in learning about other roles. I plan on reaching out to CNSs at my institution to hear more about what their roles are, but I also thought I'd start a thread here.

At first, CNS sounds perfect for me-I'm very interested in research/EBP, supporting clinical RNs with education and development, and being an "expert" in nursing care providing consultation.

In New York, CNS do not have prescribing authority, which is fine for me (although I have thought about NP and still open to that as an option, prescribing authority is not a deal-breaker for me). So, I'm wondering, for those CNSs without prescribing authority, what is your role like, especially if it involves patient care responsibilities.

CNS is attractive to me because with the degree and certification, you qualify for many roles, including Nurse Educator, management, quality, etc. On the other hand, I'm wondering if other degrees offer similar opportunities. For example, Educators at my hospital are involved in curriculum development and education, staff development, and sit on committees. Guess I'll have to just reach out to CNSs there to see what exactly they do and how it differs from the educators.

Anyway, just interested in the latest thoughts on whether it's worth it to be come a CNS, especially for those not necessarily interested in having prescribing authority!