title: Two graduating master's students struggle to find meaning.
abstract: This article was initiated to help two graduating Master's students learn what might be expected of them upon graduation. The purpose of this article is to provide insight from reviewing the current literature on clinical nurse specialist's (CNS's) characteristics. The authors believe that this information is especially useful for graduate CNS students and helpful for those who currently hold CNS positions. Based on a literature review, the article categorizes descriptions of the characteristics of the CNS role as perceived by the CNS, management, staff nurses, and physicians. Within the identified perceptions of each group were the following similarly common CNS role components: (a) clinical practice, (b) education, (c) administration, (d) research, and (e) consultation. The key to congruent expectations and understanding of the CNS role is clear communication between the members of each group. Without this communication, the common result is ambiguity, conflict, and frustration.
authors.affiliation: Winona State University, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: McMyler
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D006740:Hospital Administrators / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D009720:Nurse Clinicians; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology; D010317:Partnership Practice; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology; D012380:Role; D012931:Social Environment; D012938:Social Perception