Definition
Functions as a clinical specialist in a health care facility, administering facility-wide programming in specialty areas including educational needs for all staff; and manages advanced nursing care of a selected client population in a health care facility; performs related work as required.
The work examples and competencies listed below are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to be the primary basis for position classification decisions.
Work Examples
Reviews/researches clinical nursing programs to evaluate and implement current findings into nursing practice; initiates mechanisms to obtain funding/resources for support of research projects/studies and educational needs; assesses the financial impact of proposed changes for health care delivery.
Designs and implements programs, and provides clinical direction of staff in individual, group and family service delivery programs.
Initiates consultant and educational services for facility personnel and other agencies; may consult and collaborate with internal and external groups to meet educational/clinical needs of clients and families.
Participates in the planning and development of programs that contribute to the development, maintenance and changes of the health care delivery system; applies current concepts and findings from research.
Develops and maintains a clinical information system (electronic clinical medical record) to support work flow, efficiency, and documentation efforts of the agency; leads staff education on the use of the system in documentation and the care planning process.
Develops and implements an information model and clinical process transformation for clinical programs.
Devises mechanisms to correlate and evaluate standards, care provided, outcomes, staff development needs, and efficient delivery systems.
Participates in continuing education to maintain credentials and increase expertise and knowledge in professional clinical nursing, education, and administration.
Competencies Required
Knowledge of principles, health care and community health care systems, research processes and their application to specific health and socio-economic conditions pertinent to the clients served.
Knowledge of group dynamics learning strategies and principles of counseling.
Knowledge of health problems encountered, community resources and available services.
Ability to provide leadership and guidance in developing and maintaining nursing standards and enhancing health care systems for the delivery of essential services.
Ability to collect data objectively, analyze and interpret it concisely and accurately.
Ability to exercise professional judgment in evaluating the quality of services and recommending changes.
Ability to keep own emotions under control and restrain negative behaviors when provoked or when working under conditions of stress.
Ability to understand and appreciate different and opposing perspectives, to adapt own approach to changing situations and to change or easily accept changes in own organization or job requirements.
Displays high standards of ethical conduct. Refrains from dishonest behavior.
Works and communicates with all clients and customers providing quality professional service.
Displays a high level of initiative, effort, attention to detail and commitment by completing assignments efficiently with minimal supervision.
Follows policy, cooperates with supervisors and aligns behavior with the goals of the organization.
Fosters and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, group identity and team spirit throughout the organization.
Exchanges information with individuals or groups effectively by listening and responding appropriately.
Education, Experience, and Special Requirements
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing or licensure as a Registered Nurse in accordance with the Nurse Licensure Compact Administrator’s Agreement of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, and two years of full-time clinical nursing experience, one year of which must have been in one or in combination of the following specialties: geriatrics, pediatrics, mental health/psychiatrics, intellectual disability, or nursing informatics;
OR
graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master’s degree in Nursing;
OR
an equivalent combination of the required education and experience, substituting one year of full-time professional nursing experience for thirty semester hours or equivalent of education; no substitution for experience equal to one year in one of the specialties listed above.
Notes
Licensure as Registered Nurse in the State of Iowa by the Iowa Board of Nursing. Advanced clinical nursing specialist certification by a national professional nursing association as approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing as identified in Iowa Code 655-7.1 (American Nurses Credentialing Center, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, and the Oncology Nursing Certification Organization).
- More information regarding the Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators Agreement of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing is available at: Nurse Licensure Compact.
- Review the provisions of the statute that authorized the creation of the Nurse Licensure Compact at: Chapter 152E, Iowa Code.