The National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) was in a celebratory mood at its annual meeting, which took place from February 28 to March 3 in Phoenix. The association added 400 new members to its roster this year, bringing membership to more than 2,000, and drew 450 attendees to the meeting-the most ever, according to Kelly Goudreau, DNS, RN, CNS, president of the NACNS.
"There are a lot of issues of concern to clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), and [by joining, new members are] recognizing the value of this group in addressing them," says Goudreau.
A major issue is the trend at many hospitals, including the Veterans Affairs system, toward appointing clinical nurse leaders (CNLs). Goudreau says that the NACNS remains opposed to this role because it significantly overlaps with the CNS role. "It doesn't make a lot of sense," Goudreau says. "It's an ineffective use of resources."
The NACNS's position on another key issue, the initiative by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to require a doctoral degree for advanced practice nursing, is neutral, although many interpret it to be negative.
"What are the rationale and the evidence behind this? There are no data supporting the change. We do recognize, however, that additional education is positive and does serve to strengthen the role," says Goudreau.
The NACNS has convened a task force of stakeholders to address this issue and anticipates that a report will be released in the summer. For more information on the NACNS, go to the association's Web site: http://www.nacns.org.
Maureen Shawn Kennedy, MA, RN, news director