Clinical Nurse Specialist - Nursing Education -Full Time - Days

Henry Ford Health; Michigan; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Henry Ford Health in Detroit, MI is seeking a Clinical Nurse Specialist to provide nursing leadership, expert clinical care, and staff education across care settings. The CNS will partner with Nursing Administration to improve access, quality, and safety, mentored by leaders while advancing evidence-based practice.

The role emphasizes expert assessment, interprofessional collaboration, teaching, and system redesign to optimize patient outcomes.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in nursing with clinical leadership experience.
• Progressively responsible nursing experience in a clinical setting.
• Expert clinical knowledge linked to specialty area.

Responsibilities

• Duties based on NACNS core competencies.
• Provide evidenced-based assessment and treatment in CNS scope.
• Educate, mentor, and coach staff; lead system improvements.
• Collaborate with nurse leadership to ensure standards and orientation.

Skills

Leadership

Teaching

Interpersonal skills

Educational planning

Education

Master’s Degree in Nursing

3–5 years RN experience

Job description

Company Description

At Henry Ford Health, we're committed to advancing health and improving lives for the millions of people we serve across Michigan and around the world. As one of the nation's leading academic health systems, we provide a comprehensive continuum of care that includes primary and preventive services, specialty and complex care, virtual care, pharmacy, home health, eye care, health insurance, and more. With 12 hospitals and hundreds of ambulatory care locations, including former Ascension Southeast Michigan and Flint Region facilities, our growing network expands access to exceptional care in the communities we serve. Headquartered in Detroit, Henry Ford Health is helping shape the future of healthcare through the transformative Future of Health: Detroit initiative, a $3 billion investment that is redefining our academic healthcare campus and advancing innovation, research, education, and community impact. Our work is grounded in purpose, collaboration, and belonging. We empower team members to grow their careers, contribute innovative ideas, and make a meaningful difference every day. Whether you're caring for patients, supporting operations, conducting research, or driving new solutions, you'll be part of a team united by a shared mission: delivering exceptional care, advancing health outcomes, and building healthier communities for all.

Job Description

GENERAL SUMMARY:

Under general supervision of the Nursing Administrator(s)/Leadership, the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) provides leadership and clinical expertise within the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) spheres of impact. A CNS is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse who has advanced education (at the master’s or doctorate level) to provide expert comprehensive nursing care directly to patients, support and develop registered nurses at the point of care and serve as leaders in redesigning systems to improve access, quality, and safety in a cost-effective manner. The CNS improves patient care by utilizing the best evidenceand innovations in practice. The CNS functions as a leadership team member as a partner with the Nurse Manager/Director to assure competence, practice standards, orientation, and education. The CNS serves as a clinical expert providing teaching, mentoring, consulting, research, management, and systems improvement in a specific practice area or with a patient population.

PRINCIPLE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Duties and responsibilities of the CNS are based on core competencies from NACNS.

Patient Direct Care Sphere

• 1. Performs evidence-based assessment and treatment of illness including symptoms, functional problems, and risk behaviors.


• 2. Is educated and skilled in comprehensive assessment, differential diagnosis, and interventions to prevent or treat illness.


• 3. Identify and prescribe pharmacologic agents and non-pharmacologic therapies, diagnostic studies, equipment, and appropriate consults to manage the health issues of patients within the CNSs scope of practice and consistent with CNSs skill, training, competency, professional judgment, and policy of Henry Ford Health.


• 4. Uses advanced communication skills in complex situations and conversations that might beunpredictable while caring for patients throughout the health continuum.


• 5. Intervenes to educate, guide, and coach the patient in modifying risk behaviors, and emphasizing health-promoting lifestyles.


• 6. Leads discovery of innovations in patient care using nursing science, theory, and knowledge generated by nursing and related disciplines.

Qualifications

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Master’s Degree in Nursing.


• Three to five (3-5) years of progressively more responsible experiences as a registered nurse in a clinical setting with expertise substantiated through education, experience, and credentials.


• Evidence of expertise in clinical knowledge, skill and judgment directly linked to specialty area of expertise.


• Ability to establish and maintain effective inter-personnel and inter-departmental relationships.


• Ability to apply the concepts of learning theory in planning and implementing educational activities.


• Excellent leadership and teaching abilities.

CERTIFICATIONS/LICENSURES REQUIRED:

• Current Michigan Registered Nurse license and Michigan Clinical Nurse Specialist license.


• Certification: Advanced Practice CNS Certification (ANCC or AACN) in respective specialty population (Adult-Gerontology, Adult, Neonatal, Pediatric) or certification by portfolio per State of Michigan.


• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) required. Current Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and/or Pediatric Advance Life Support (PALS/NRP) as required specific to position.