Developing an empirical base for clinical nurse specialist education.

This article reports on the design of a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) education program using National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) CNS competencies to guide CNS program clinical competency expectations and curriculum outcomes. The purpose is to contribute to the development of an empirical base for education and credentialing of CNSs. The NACNS CNS core competencies and practice competencies in all 3 spheres of influence guided the creation of clinical competency grids for this university's practicum courses.

An online dual-certification program in advanced practice nursing and nursing education: one university's response to faculty shortages.

Educating nurses for the healthcare delivery workforce is stymied as qualified applicants to nursing programs are being turned away. Although applications to baccalaureate programs have increased, between 41,683 and 147,000 undergraduate and graduate applicants were turned away from nursing education programs in 2005 due largely to shortages of nursing faculty. In this article, the evidence-based rationale for the development of a dual-certification program for the preparation of clinical nurse specialists and nurse educators is described.