Clinical Nurse Practice Specialist - Med Surg

Emory Healthcare; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Mentorship programs

Leadership programs

Wellness incentives

Job summary

Emory Healthcare’s Clinical Nurse Practice Specialist (CNPS) is an operating unit and system clinical leader who integrates advanced nursing expertise with performance improvement to drive safe, evidence-based and outcomes-focused care. This role blends clinical practice with performance and educational leadership to promote high-quality nursing and care transformation across the health system.

The CNPS leads evidence-based practice initiatives, mentors staff, and collaborates with nursing

Qualifications

• Master of Science in Nursing required; leadership track preferred.
• 3 years clinical nursing experience and 2 years in a quality or performance role.
• Active, unencumbered nursing license approved by the Georgia Licensing Board.
• BLS and clinical specialty certification (ANCC/NAHQ/AACN).
• ACLS and/or PALS if applicable.

Responsibilities

• Leads the design, implementation, and evaluation of care strategies that align clinical standards with quality and performance goals.
• Translates emerging evidence and innovations into practice across diverse care settings; supports nursing research and performance improvement.
• Mentors and coaches clinical staff, providing education and consultation for patients with complex health care needs.
• Acts as liaison between frontline teams and senior leadership, promoting safety, belonging, and professional development.

Skills

Evidence-based practice

Nursing leadership

Quality improvement

Mentoring / coaching

Inter-professional collaboration

Education

Master of Science in Nursing

Doctoral degree (DNP/PhD) preferred

Tools

BLS Certification

ACLS/PALS certification

Job description

Be inspired. Be rewarded. Belong. At Emory Healthcare.

At Emory Healthcare we fuel your professional journey with better benefits, valuable resources, ongoing mentorship and leadership programs for all types of jobs, and a supportive environment that enables you to reach new heights in your career and be what you want to be. We provide:

• Comprehensive health benefits that start day one!
• Student Loan Repayment Assistance & Reimbursement Programs
• Family-focused benefits
• Wellness incentives
• Ongoing mentorship, development, and leadership programs… and more!

Join a team today! At Emory University Hospital Midtown our Nursing Quality & Professional Development Department consists of:

• Service Lines: 18
• Our Service Lines Include: Acute Care, Winship Cancer Inpatient units, Critical Care, Women's Health Services, and Emergency Services
• Staffing Hours: Monday thru Friday, 8a-4:30p
• Required: There can be some late, on call and/or other requirements as well as a rotation to cover overnight shifts and weekend shifts, as the needs arise.
• Other: There is an orientation period of 4-8 weeks, depending on experience.

The ideal candidate will support our Med Surg Units, will have some experience with nursing quality initiatives (i.e., fall reduction, CLABSI/CAUTI improvement, evidence-based practice work) and possess some leadership experience.

The Clinical Nurse Practice Specialist (CNPS) is an operating unit, service-line, and system clinical leader who integrates advanced nursing expertise with performance improvement to drive safe, evidence-based, and outcomes-focused care. This role combines clinical expertise with performance and educational leadership to promote high-quality nursing practice, lead care transformation initiatives, and foster real-time accountability across the healthcare continuum.

• Primary duties and responsibilities: Evidence-Based Practice and Clinical Innovation: 1. Leads the design, implementation, and evaluation of care strategies that align clinical standards with quality and performance goals. 2. Translates emerging evidence and innovations into practice across diverse care settings. 3. Promotes evidence-based practice, nursing research, and performance improvement in support of nursing excellence across the system. 4. Conducts gap analysis to address barriers and utilizes process improvement strategies to facilitate change and best practices. 5. Contributes to the advancement of nursing practice at the unit/system, local, state, national, and/or international level, and is instrumental in the application and leading of the Professional Practice/Care Transformation Model across the health system.
• Performance and Quality Leadership: 1. Serves as a subject matter expert in quality, safety, and key performance metrics. 2. Analyzes legislative, regulatory, and operational policies as they impact nursing practice and patient population outcomes. 3. Supports design of strategies and resources with nursing leaders, educators, providers, and operational teams to align performance goals with care delivery workflows across the system. 4. Possesses advanced knowledge and articulates the professional scope and standards of nursing practice.
• Inter-professional Collaboration, Consultation, and Clinical Scholarship: 1. Mentors and coaches clinical staff's professional development from novice to expert, including support for evidence-based projects, research, and publication. 2. Provides expert consultation, education, and coaching for patients/populations with complex health care needs using a broad range of theories and evidence. 3. Leads role-based education grounded in current evidence and organizational standards. 4. Acts as a liaison between frontline teams and senior leadership, advocating and advancing a culture of safety, sense of belonging, and professional development. 5. Demonstrates leadership in cultural, ethical decision-making, and patient advocacy.
• Additional Duties as Assigned. Travel: Less than 10% of the time may be required between clinical sites may be required Work Type: On-site employee - Works in the office or at a physical workplace, interacting with colleagues face-to-face

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master of Science in Nursing, ideally in a clinical specialty or leadership track Experience
• 3 years of clinical nursing experience and 2 years in a specialty or system-based performance/quality role
• Valid, active unencumbered nursing license approved by the Georgia Licensing Board Certification
• BLS and Certification in clinical specialty (e.g., ANCC, NAHQ, AACN)
• ACLS and/or PALS if applicable or other specialty certification
• Demonstrated leadership in quality improvement (QI) or performance excellence initiatives –
• Advanced competency in clinical assessment, treatment protocols, and evidence-based interventions for complex or high-acuity patient populations

Preferred Qualifications Education - Doctoral degree (DNP or PHD) or APRN Experience - 1. Experience with data-driven decision‑making, root cause analyses, and regulatory compliance (e.g., CMS, Joint Commission, Vizient, Leapfrog) 2. Experience translating evidence into practice through protocol development, clinical guideline creation, or best practice implementation.