title: Orienting and Onboarding Clinical Nurse Specialists: A Process Improvement Project.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) have a unique advanced practice role. This article describes a process useful in establishing a comprehensive orientation and onboarding program for a newly hired CNS.
  
  
  METHODS
  The project team used the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists core competencies as a guide to construct a process for effectively onboarding and orienting newly hired CNSs. Standardized documents were created for the orientation process including a competency checklist, needs assessment template, and professional evaluation goals. In addition, other documents were revised to streamline the orientation process.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Standardizing the onboarding and orientation process has demonstrated favorable results. As of 2016, 3 CNSs have successfully been oriented and onboarded using the new process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unique healthcare roles require special focus when onboarding and orienting into a healthcare system. The use of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists core competencies guided the project in establishing a successful orientation and onboarding process for newly hired CNSs.
authors.affiliation: Author Affiliations: Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialists, Children's Health Children's Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
authors.forename: Mayra G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Watt
authors.forename: Karie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Falder-Saeed
authors.forename: Brennan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Lindsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Patton
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009720:Nurse Clinicians; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010560:Personnel Selection; D058996:Quality Improvement; D012956:Societies, Nursing; D014481:United States