Clinical Nurse Specialist
Cleveland Clinic
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Cleveland Clinic
Non-profit medical center delivering care
Cleveland Clinic Akron General is seeking a dedicated Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) to support the Emergency Medicine team across multiple locations. This role provides advanced clinical expertise, leadership, and education to promote high-quality patient care, nursing excellence, and evidence-based practice within the emergency department setting.
The Clinical Nurse Specialist will collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to improve patient outcomes, enhance nursing practice, and support clinical initiatives across several sites, including Akron General’s Level I Trauma Center as well as emergency departments in Stow, Bath, and Green.
Position Details
Schedule: Variable, Day shift, Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. with some evening and night shift coverage
Setting: Emergency Medicine
Locations Covered: Akron General Main Campus (Level I Trauma Center), Stow, Bath, and Green
Key Responsibilities
Serve as a clinical expert and resource for nursing staff within the emergency departments.
Promote and implement evidence-based practice to enhance patient care and clinical outcomes.
Lead and support quality improvement initiatives, patient safety efforts, and performance improvement projects.
Provide education, mentorship, and professional development opportunities for nursing staff.
Collaborate with physicians, nursing leadership, and interdisciplinary teams to optimize care delivery and operational efficiency.
Support the development and evaluation of clinical policies, procedures, and best practices in emergency care.
Ideal Candidate
Strong clinical expertise in emergency medicine setting
Excellent leadership, communication, and collaboration skills
Passion for improving nursing practice, patient outcomes, and staff development
Ability to work across multiple sites while fostering strong relationships with clinical teams
This position offers the opportunity to play a pivotal role in advancing emergency nursing practice while supporting a dynamic team dedicated to delivering exceptional patient care throughout the Cleveland Clinic Akron General system.
Job Responsibilities:
CLINICAL PRACTICE: Provide expert consultation and collaboration on care of high-risk patients and families within area of specialty
Provide direct and indirect nursing care to patients and families
Round with patients/nurses and interdisciplinary teams
Proactively monitor nursing practices and analyze data for trends
Write APRN progress notes and bill for patient services
Prescribe medications, therapies and devices as appropriate
Promote high-quality, safe, cost effective care:
Lead and participate in quality improvement projects
Support accreditation and compliance activities
Represent nursing on department or hospital committee
Participate in evaluation of products and equipment relevant to nursing practice
Providing “just in time” teaching at the point of care
Develop / teach advanced and specialty classes for nurses and other healthcare professionals
Identify learning needs, develops, and implements programs for patient education
Mentor nursing caregivers in career coaching and professional development
Support nursing shared governance teams and “champion” programs
Assist clinical nurses in poster/oral abstract development
Promote nursing certification
Primary responsibility for writing / revising policies, procedures, and nursing protocols
Disseminate knowledge from research studies and guidelines
Standardize nursing practice across CCHS locations
Conduct nursing research
Present results of work at local, state, national, and / or international conferences
Submits work to peer-reviewed journals for publication
Nationally certified Advanced Practice Provider who provides primary and/or specialty care in a variety of healthcare settings. Functions in collaboration with the health care team in accordance with certification and licensure. Practice emphasizes health promotion, disease prevention and the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic health problems. Responsible for dissemination of knowledge through instructing, leading and developing educational programs.
Education:
APRN
Effective 05/01/2014: MSN required upon hire or within 3 years of hire for external hires and internal hires moving from a non-APRN licensed role to an APRN licensed role.
Graduate of an accredited APRN program.
If in neonatal care service area Master’s Degree is required upon hire.
Languages:
Oral and written communication in English
Certifications:
NP
Currently licensed as a Nurse Practitioner in applicable state(s).
Must be licensed as an RN in applicable state(s).
National certification as a Nurse Practitioner by nationally accredited organization recognized by state Board of Nursing.
Basic Life Support (BLS) through the American Heart Association (AHA) required.
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) through the American Heart Association (AHA); or Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) through the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) may be required based upon work setting.
Must have arrangements with at least one physician in accordance with requirements set forth by the State Board of Nursing in applicable states.
Must be credentialed and privileged by the Medical Executive Committee and the Governing Body of the applicable hospitals.
CNS
Currently licensed as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in applicable state(s).
Must be licensed as an RN in applicable state(s).
National certification as a Clinical Nurse Specialist by nationally accredited organization recognized by state Board of Nursing.
Basic Life Support (BLS) through the American Heart Association (AHA) required.
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) through the American Heart Association (AHA); or Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) through the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) may be required based upon work setting.
Must have arrangements with at least one physician in accordance with requirements set forth by the State Board of Nursing in applicable states.
Must be credentialed and privileged by the Medical Executive Committee and the Governing Body of the applicable hospitals
Certifications:
Currently licensed as a Nurse Practitioner or Clinical Nurse Specialist in applicable state(s).
Must be licensed as an RN in applicable state(s).
National certification as a Clinical Nurse Specialist or Nurse Practitioner by nationally accredited organization recognized by state Board of Nursing.
Basic Life Support (BLS) through the American Heart Association (AHA) required.
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) through the American Heart Association (AHA); or Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) through the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) may be required based upon work setting.
Must have arrangements with at least one physician in accordance with requirements set forth by the State Board of Nursing in applicable states.
Must be credentialed and privileged by the Medical Executive Committee and the Governing Body of the applicable hospitals.
Complexity of Work:
Excellent analytical and decision-making skills are required.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
Demonstrated competency and the ability to perform advanced assessment and diagnosis.
Demonstrated ability to utilize the electronic medical record.
Demonstrates a high standard of moral and ethical behavior.
Demonstrates compassion and professionalism and a commitment to excellent patient care.
Requires critical thinking skills, decisive judgement, and the ability to work independently.
Must be able to work in a stressful environment and take appropriate action.
Work Experience:
Two years clinical nursing experience required.
Physical Requirements:
Typical physical demands include the ability to walk and stand for long periods of time.
Manual and finger dexterity and eye/hand coordination to perform physical examinations.
Requires corrected vision and hearing to a normal range.
Occasionally lifts and carries items weighing up to 50 pounds.
May require exposure to communicable diseases and/or body fluids.
Personal Protective Equipment:
Follows standard precautions using personal protective equipment as required.
The policy of Cleveland Clinic Health System and its system hospitals (Cleveland Clinic Health System) is to provide equal opportunity to all of our caregivers and applicants for employment in our drug free environment. All offers of employment are followed by testing for controlled substances.
Cleveland Clinic Health System administers an influenza prevention program. You will be required to comply with this program, which will include obtaining an influenza vaccination on an annual basis or obtaining an approved exemption.
Decisions concerning employment, transfers and promotions are made upon the basis of the best qualified candidate without regard to color, race, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, status as a disabled or Vietnam era veteran or any other characteristic protected by law. Information provided on this application may be shared with any Cleveland Clinic Health System facility.
If applying for a Florida position, please see the following website for more information on the background screening requirements required by the Agency of Health Care Administration: https://info.flclearinghouse.com/
Please review the Equal Employment Opportunity poster.
Cleveland Clinic is pleased to be an equal employment opportunity employer.
Non-profit medical center delivering care
Cleveland Clinic runs a nonprofit academic medical center that delivers patient care, conducts research, and educates future clinicians. It provides in-person hospital services, surgeries, and telehealth options, plus digital tools like MyChart to manage care, as well as provider tools such as DrConnect and eRadiology to coordinate care. It differentiates itself by combining clinical care, medical research, and education under a nonprofit model with a broad international network and a strong emphasis on safety and quality. Its goal is to deliver high-quality medical care while advancing medical knowledge and training clinicians to improve health outcomes for diverse populations, globally.
Explore more opportunities at Cleveland Clinic