RN Clinical Nurse Specialist - Emergency Department

UNC Health; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 57,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

UNC Health is seeking a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) for the Emergency Department in Raleigh, NC. The CNS will serve as a clinical expert, lead staff education, drive evidence-based practice, and spearhead quality improvement in a fast-paced setting.

The CNS will provide advanced clinical consultation, mentor nursing staff, and develop policies promoting safe, efficient, patient-centered emergency care, aligning with UNC Health values.

Qualifications

• MSN required for CNS role in emergency department.
• Active North Carolina RN licensure and CNS certification.
• Strong leadership, education and quality-improvement capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert clinical care to complex emergency department patients.
• Coach bedside nurses and guide complex interventions.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary team to improve patient outcomes.
• Lead quality-improvement initiatives and evidence-based practice projects.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Evidence-based practice

Staff education

Critical thinking

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

Master's degree in Nursing (MSN)

RN license in North Carolina

CNS certification (NC)

Job description

Description

We are seeking a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) to join our Emergency Department team. In this role, you will serve as a clinical expert in emergency nursing, driving evidence-based practice, leading staff education, and spearheading quality improvement initiatives in a fast-paced, high-acuity environment. You will provide advanced clinical consultation, mentor nursing staff, and play a key role in developing and implementing policies that promote safe, efficient, and patient-centered emergency care.

This is an excellent opportunity for a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) who is passionate about emergency medicine and dedicated to advancing clinical excellence, improving patient outcomes, and supporting nursing practice across the Emergency Department.

Who We're Looking For

We're looking for a knowledgeable and compassionate Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) who brings clinical leadership, exceptional critical thinking skills, and a strong commitment to emergency nursing. The ideal candidate will have experience in staff development, project leadership, and interdisciplinary collaboration within a high-acuity setting. A passion for improving patient outcomes, supporting nursing excellence, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and evidence-based practice is essential.

Preferred Qualifications

• A minimum of 3 years of nursing experience in an Emergency Department, Trauma Center, Critical Care (ICU), or another high-acuity acute care setting.
• Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) certification – Preferred
• Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (ENPC) certification – Preferred
• Additional certifications such as Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN), Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN), or Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) – Preferred
• Current Certification as a Clinical Nurse Specialist

Summary

The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) functions as part of a interdisciplinary healthcare team to provide high-quality cost-effective care to patients within the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse scope. The role reflects the mission, vision and values of the organization and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and other regulatory and accreditation standards. The CNS integrates evidenced-based care across UNC Health through three spheres of impact: Clinical Practice with patients, Nursing/Nursing Practice, and Organization/Systems to produce sustainably improved patient outcomes.

Responsibilities

Patient Sphere

• Provide expert clinical care to complex patients within specialty population, advocating for a patient’s unique preference.
• Intervene to educate, guide and coach the patient and/or caregivers to establish a patient centered plan of care and navigate complex healthcare systems.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary members of the healthcare team to ensure comprehensive, coordinated care delivery to improve and promote health care outcomes.
• Identifies opportunities to improve patient care. Determines appropriate outcomes for patient population and guides interventions to accomplish them.

Nursing/Nursing Practice Sphere

• Conducts clinical consultation, including coaching with bedside nurses, regarding performance of complex patient care interventions.
• Identify workflow barriers and recommend efficient improvements.
• Promote nursing involvement in shared governance, professional growth and development, and pursuit of clinical inquiry.
• Collects and analyzes patient data to document the impact of nursing practice on outcomes, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
• Promotes a healthy work environment through expert communication, facilitation skills and conveying mutual trust and respect to others on the healthcare team.
• Provides leadership for interprofessional and nursing teams in identifying, developing, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based practices and research opportunities.

Organization/Systems Sphere

• Evaluate system strategies and outcomes, identifying gaps in practice.
• Participates in, supports, and leads quality/performance improvement initiatives to advance patient care delivery and improve outcomes through best practice implementation.
• Evaluates the implications of access, quality, safety, and cost on the delivery of healthcare.
• Actively pursues professional growth and development within local, regional, or national levels.

Other Information

• Education Requirements: Master's degree in Nursing (MSN) from a school of professional nursing.
• Licensure/Certification Requirements: Licensed to practice as a Registered Nurse in the state of North Carolina. Licensed as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in the state of North Carolina. Current certification as a Clinical Nurse Specialist from a national credentialing body approved by the NC Board of Nursing.
• Professional Experience Requirements: Three (3) years of experience in the specialty.
• Knowledge/Skills/and Abilities Requirements:

Job Details

• Legal Employer: NCHEALTH
• Entity: UNC REX Healthcare
• Organization Unit: Rex Emergency Department
• Work Type: Full Time
• Standard Hours Per Week: 40.00
• Salary Range: $41.45 - $59.58 per hour (Hiring Range)
• Pay offers are determined by experience and internal equity
• Work Assignment Type: Onsite
• Work Schedule: Variable
• Location of Job: US:NC:Raleigh
• Exempt From Overtime: Exempt: Yes

This position is employed by NC Health (Rex Healthcare, Inc., d/b/a NC Health), a private, fully‑owned subsidiary of UNC Heath Care System. This is not a State employed position.

Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran or political affiliation.

UNC Health makes reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as applicants and employees with disabilities. Please email [e-mail] if you need a reasonable accommodation to search and/or to apply for a career opportunity.