Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) - Emergency Services

Cleveland Clinic; Akron (OH); Hybrid; USD 92,620 - 157,480; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Mentorship and professional development opportunities

Job summary

Cleveland Clinic is looking for a Clinical Nurse Specialist to enhance patient care within the Emergency Medicine team at their multiple locations in Akron, including the Level I Trauma Center. This role requires strong clinical expertise, leadership, and educational skills.

The ideal candidate will lead initiatives to improve nursing practice, provide mentorship, and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams. A Master's degree and relevant certifications are essential for this position.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years clinical nursing experience required.
• Currently licensed as RN and Nurse Practitioner in applicable states.
• Strong ability to work across multiple sites.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a clinical expert within emergency departments.
• Promote evidence-based practice to enhance patient care.
• Educate and mentor nursing staff to improve practice.

Skills

Clinical expertise in emergency medicine

Leadership skills

Communication skills

Collaboration skills

Education

MSN required upon hire

Graduate of an accredited APRN program

Tools

Electronic medical records

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)

Basic Life Support (BLS)

Job description

Nationally certified Advanced Practice Provider who provides primary and/or specialty care in a variety of healthcare settings. Functions in collaboration with the health care team in accordance with certification and licensure. Practice emphasizes health promotion, disease prevention and the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic health problems. Responsible for dissemination of knowledge through instructing, leading and developing educational programs.

Cleveland Clinic Akron General is seeking a dedicated Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) to support the Emergency Medicine team across multiple locations. This role provides advanced clinical expertise, leadership, and education to promote high-quality patient care, nursing excellence, and evidence-based practice within the emergency department setting.

The Clinical Nurse Specialist will collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to improve patient outcomes, enhance nursing practice, and support clinical initiatives across several sites, including Akron General’s Level I Trauma Center as well as emergency departments in Stow, Bath, and Green.

Position Details

• Schedule: Variable, Day shift, Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. with some evening and night shift coverage
• Setting: Emergency Medicine
• Locations Covered: Akron General Main Campus (Level I Trauma Center), Stow, Bath, and Green

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a clinical expert and resource for nursing staff within the emergency departments.
• Promote and implement evidence-based practice to enhance patient care and clinical outcomes.
• Lead and support quality improvement initiatives, patient safety efforts, and performance improvement projects.
• Provide education, mentorship, and professional development opportunities for nursing staff.
• Collaborate with physicians, nursing leadership, and interdisciplinary teams to optimize care delivery and operational efficiency.
• Support the development and evaluation of clinical policies, procedures, and best practices in emergency care.

Ideal Candidate

• Strong clinical expertise in emergency medicine setting
• Excellent leadership, communication, and collaboration skills
• Passion for improving nursing practice, patient outcomes, and staff development
• Ability to work across multiple sites while fostering strong relationships with clinical teams

This position offers the opportunity to play a pivotal role in advancing emergency nursing practice while supporting a dynamic team dedicated to delivering exceptional patient care throughout the Cleveland Clinic Akron General system.

Job Responsibilities

CLINICAL PRACTICE

Provide expert consultation and collaboration on care of high-risk patients and families within area of specialty.

• Provide direct and indirect nursing care to patients and families
• Round with patients/nurses and interdisciplinary teams
• Proactively monitor nursing practices and analyze data for trends
• Write APRN progress notes and bill for patient services
• Prescribe medications, therapies and devices as appropriate
• Promote high-quality, safe, cost-effective care:
  • Lead and participate in quality improvement projects
  • Support accreditation and compliance activities
  • Represent nursing on department or hospital committee
  • Participate in evaluation of products and equipment relevant to nursing practice

EDUCATION

Responsible for dissemination of knowledge through instructing, leading and developing educational programs.

• Providing “just in time” teaching at the point of care
• Develop / teach advanced and specialty classes for nurses and other healthcare professionals
• Identify learning needs, develops, and implements programs for patient education

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Support professional development of clinical nurses and nursing practice.

• Mentor nursing caregivers in career coaching and professional development
• Support nursing shared governance teams and “champion” programs
• Assist clinical nurses in poster/oral abstract development
• Promote nursing certification

RESEARCH / EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE

Promotes translation of evidence based practices.

• Primary responsibility for writing / revising policies, procedures, and nursing protocols
• Disseminate knowledge from research studies and guidelines
• Standardize nursing practice across CCHS locations
• Conduct nursing research
• Present results of work at local, state, national, and / or international conferences
• Submits work to peer-reviewed journals for publication

Education

APRN

• Effective 05/01/2014: MSN required upon hire or within 3 years of hire for external hires and internal hires moving from a non-APRN licensed role to an APRN licensed role.
• Graduate of an accredited APRN program.
• If in neonatal care service area Master’s Degree is required upon hire.

Languages

Oral and written communication in English

Certifications

NP

• Currently licensed as a Nurse Practitioner in applicable state(s).
• Must be licensed as an RN in applicable state(s).
• National certification as a Nurse Practitioner by nationally accredited organization recognized by state Board of Nursing.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) through the American Heart Association (AHA) required.
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) through the American Heart Association (AHA); or Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) through the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) may be required based upon work setting.
• Must have arrangements with at least one physician in accordance with requirements set forth by the State Board of Nursing in applicable states.
• Must be credentialed and privileged by the Medical Executive Committee and the Governing Body of the applicable hospitals.

CNS

• Currently licensed as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in applicable state(s).
• Must be licensed as an RN in applicable state(s).
• National certification as a Clinical Nurse Specialist by nationally accredited organization recognized by state Board of Nursing.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) through the American Heart Association (AHA) required.
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) through the American Heart Association (AHA); or Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) through the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) may be required based upon work setting.
• Must have arrangements with at least one physician in accordance with requirements set forth by the State Board of Nursing in applicable states.
• Must be credentialed and privileged by the Medical Executive Committee and the Governing Body of the applicable hospitals.

General Certifications

• Currently licensed as a Nurse Practitioner or Clinical Nurse Specialist in applicable state(s).
• Must be licensed as an RN in applicable state(s).
• National certification as a Clinical Nurse Specialist or Nurse Practitioner by nationally accredited organization recognized by state Board of Nursing.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) through the American Heart Association (AHA) required.
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) through the American Heart Association (AHA); or Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) through the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) may be required based upon work setting.
• Must have arrangements with at least one physician in accordance with requirements set forth by the State Board of Nursing in applicable states.
• Must be credentialed and privileged by the Medical Executive Committee and the Governing Body of the applicable hospitals.

Complexity of Work

• Excellent analytical and decision-making skills are required.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Demonstrated competency and the ability to perform advanced assessment and diagnosis.
• Demonstrated ability to utilize the electronic medical record.
• Demonstrates a high standard of moral and ethical behavior.
• Demonstrates compassion and professionalism and a commitment to excellent patient care.
• Requires critical thinking skills, decisive judgement, and the ability to work independently.
• Must be able to work in a stressful environment and take appropriate action.

Work Experience

• Two years clinical nursing experience required.

Physical Requirements

• Typical physical demands include the ability to walk and stand for long periods of time.
• Manual and finger dexterity and eye/hand coordination to perform physical examinations.
• Requires corrected vision and hearing to a normal range.
• Occasionally lifts and carries items weighing up to 50 pounds.May require exposure to communicable diseases and/or body fluids.

Personal Protective Equipment

• Follows standard precautions using personal protective equipment as required.

Pay Range

Minimum Annual Salary: $92,620.00

Maximum Annual Salary: $157,480.00

The pay range displayed on this job posting reflects the anticipated range for new hires. Actual compensation may be higher or lower than the standard range, depending on factors such as job responsibilities, relevant experience, skills, scheduling requirements, education, and area of licensure. Please note, the displayed pay range does not include additional pay practices or the value of Cleveland Clinic's comprehensive benefits package (including healthcare, dental and vision coverage, retirement savings contributions, and more). The listed range is based on a full-time (1.0 FTE) with the exception of PRN positions, which have an hourly rate based on the position type.