|
Click here to download the CNS Application
Florida will recognize the title
CNS as an upgrade to the RN license but CNSs will not have the title of Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP). Nurses
with the title CNS will have the following sub-specialties available: Advanced Diabetes Management, Adult Health, Child/Adolescent
Psychiatric & Mental Health, Psychiatric & Mental Health, Gerontological, Pediatric, and Public/Community Health,
Advanced Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist, Certified Critical-Care Nurse Specialist. This law provides for title protection
for Certified Nurse Specialists who meet the following criteria:
1. Hold a current and active license as a Registered
Nurse in Florida
2. Master's or higher degree in Nursing as a Clinical Nurse Specialist
3. Advanced Practice Registered
Nurse-Board Certified in the nursing specialty as a clinical nurse specialist by one of the three certifying bodies; ANCC,
AACN, ONCC, and NBCHPN
4. Have a certificate issued by the FBON as a Clinical Nurse Specialist
The implementation date in the bill is July 1, 2007. This date means that all nurses currently using the title CNS
must discontinue using the title as of July 1, 2007. Those who apply and qualify will receive an upgraded nursing license,
the number and the expiration date will remain
the same. Some nurses using the title CNS will not qualify for the newly
created designation and may be eligible for a partial refund if they apply.
For a short period of time, around 3-6 months, any nurse using the designation Certified Nurse Specialist or CNS
that is reported to the Board office as using the title without an upgraded CNS license will be issued a "Notice of Non-Compliance
with Statute." The nurse will be given a few
days to stop using the title. This is not considered discipline and there
will not be a fine or other obligations imposed. However, failure to comply with the Notice of Non-Compliance with Statue
could result in discipline against the nurse's license.
The Board and the Board office are working very hard to put the pieces of this process in place, such as: who qualifies,
how to apply, how long the application process will
take.
The Board office is not sure how
many applications it will receive initially. CNSs
will not be required to submit protocols, they will not have prescriptive authority and they will not be able to work on a
provisional license.
|
