s, long-term health care facilities, etc. and function as primary clinicians. They diagnose and treat acute and chronic illnesses and injuries, interpret lab results, educate patients, develop treatment plans and may prescribe medications.
Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) are RNs with formal clinical preparation, and 93 percent of them have completed a master;Æs degree program, and an additional three percent more have qualified through a post-masterÆs certificate program (Nursing, 2006). Clinical Nurse Specialists Practice independently or work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and various other health care agencies. CNS also function as administrators, researchers, policy makers, educators and consultants.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) receive their special training either through a masterÆs program (37 percent) or through a post-RN certificate (58 percent) (Nursing, 2006). CRNAs provide anesthetic to patients in collaboration with other health care professionals such as anesthesiologists, surgeons, dentists, podiatrists and others. When anesthesia is administered by an anesthesiologist, it is the practice of medicine: when anesthesia is administered by a nurse anesthetist, it is the practice of nursing. CRNAs can practice anywhere anesthesia is delivered, e.g. traditional surgical suites in hospitals, obstetrical delivery rooms, critical access hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists and plastic surgeons, and pain management specialists. They also practice at U.S. Military, Public Health Services and Department of Veterans Affairs health care facilities.
Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) for the most part have masterÆs degrees (56 percent) and an additional five percent have post-masterÆs degree certificates (Nursing, 2006). Thirty-six percent have received their midwife training through a certificate program. CNMs can provide primary he...