Are there any differences between CNS’s and NP’s with respect to inter-professional collaboration with MD?
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses who have an advanced education (Master’s Degree at minimum) and the ability to provide a wide range of health services, similar to those of physicians. These services allow preventative and acute healthcare services to patients of all ages. An NP’s services can include, performing physical examinations, diagnosing and treating common and chronic acute health issues, ordering and interpreting x-rays and laboratory tests, and prescribing and managing medications. NP’s also provide health education and promote healthy lifestyle behaviors and illness prevention. An NP’s scope of practice can very from state to state depending on the state laws that govern their practices; some of the most rigorous laws and restrictions being from California. (Buppert, C. 2012).
A Clinical Nurse Specialist is a clinical expert who also has an advanced education and shares some of the same abilities and practices of an NP. They can also provide direct patient care services including, health assessment, health promotion, and prevention, as well as the management of health issues. However, CNS’s specialize in areas of nursing that improves nursing care through education, consultation, and research. The roles of CNS’s contain five major components consisting of expert clinical practice, clinical leadership, consultation, education, and research. (Buppert, C. 2012).

A Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is an expert clinician who works in a specialized area of nursing practice. The CNS role in hospital has extended to responsibility for collective care concerning patient populations. CNS’s are now being used for case management, identifying and correcting systems problems, assess utilization patterns, and to establish large-scale