Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialists Practice in the Outpatient Setting.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: With rapidly evolving oncology care, the role of the outpatient clinical nurse specialist is most valuable and essential. The purpose of this article is to describe the role of the clinical nurse specialist in the ambulatory oncology settings and highlight the clinical nurse specialists' unique influence across the spheres of impact. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT/PROGRAM: This article shares several contributions of an outpatient clinical nurse specialist, which include ways this role impacts nursing practice, patient care, and standardizing organizational guidelines. A method of recording the clinical nurse specialists' encounters or indirect consults was also utilized to provide a process to log consultation received in the day-to-day practice. Work exemplars were included to further demonstrate the impact of this role in this setting. CONCLUSION: Outpatient clinical nurse specialist need is rising especially in the oncology setting where the majority of cancer care and treatment is delivered. It is important to continue to disseminate and highlight the value it brings to the organization.

Making the Transition: A Critical Care Skills Program to Support Newly Hired Nurses.

PURPOSE: This article describes the impact of a hands-on critical care skills day led by clinical nurse specialist (CNS) to enhance junior nurses' clinical skills. Program objectives included providing specialized skills training to meet the needs of high-acuity patient population and reviewing nurse-sensitive indicator-associated care bundles with the goal of increasing compliance. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT: An 8-hour program of lecture and hands-on skills was developed. Curriculum included nursing-sensitive indicators, sepsis management, complex tubes and drains, airway management, and emergency response. Clinical nurse specialists mentored senior nurses to colead program planning and execution. The program has been offered 9 times. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected on attendees. OUTCOME: Quantitative data analysis showed that 89% of the assessed components were affected by the program. Medium effect was noted in defibrillator skills, retrieving items from code care, care of suicidal patient, and sepsis screening. Qualitative data based on attendee survey are also presented and analyzed. Decreases in indwelling catheter utilization on select units are discussed. CONCLUSION: The CNS has the responsibility to ensure nursing practice is reflective of hospital policy and current evidence. This program demonstrates the impact of CNSs in staff education, mentorship, and competency assessment.