Serves as an organization-wide clinical resource for nursing practice and its effect on health care within area of clinical specialization and expertise (such as psychosocial, neuroscience, medical, surgical, neonatal, or burns).  Contributes to the development, implementation and evaluation of clinical nursing programs and assists in nursing staff development through involvement in clinical practice, education, consultation, leadership roles and nursing research activities.

Advises and consults on a specific patient population on an organization-wide basis and develops skills of the nursing staff in order to carry out the patient care plan.  Provides leadership in defining new practices and developing standards of care, procedures and policies; developing and implementing teaching programs to meet identified needs; and identifying problems which necessitate research in the specialty area.

Serves as clinical nursing consultant for a specialty area of knowledge such as psychosocial, neuroscience, medical, surgical, neonatal, or burns; 

Provides and models nursing care in a specialty area of nursing; 

Establishes and implements standards of practice which assure the delivery of care in a cost effective manner; 

Collaborates with physicians and other health care professionals in the specialty to address clinical practice issues and changes; 

Develops, implements and evaluates formal and informal teaching programs relevant to the clinical specialty for nursing staff, patients and their families; educates nursing staff about advances in the nursing specialty; 

Collaborates and consults on policies, procedures, standards and the development of goals and objectives; assists in formulating and implementing educational and administrative policies for nursing; 

Identifies clinical nursing problems for research study; initiates or participates in research such as for hospital programs, community placements and system effectiveness; assists staff in applying research findings in practice; 

Plans and carries out staff development programs by providing counseling and guidance, learning experiences, job performance evaluations, and patient‑centered conferences; 

Consults with other disciplines in development of patient assessment and treatment plans; 

Performs related duties as required; 

May supervise or direct the work of others.

Knowledge of: professional nursing principles and techniques; dynamics of interpersonal relationships; dynamic psychiatry; mental growth and development; psychiatric nursing theories and techniques; mental health concepts; available community resources; group dynamics; concepts of social psychiatry; theories of learning. 

Ability to: use nursing judgment and knowledge based on application of principles of biological, physical, and social sciences; work effectively with others; use various teaching methods.

A valid Washington State license to practice as a registered, professional nurse.

A Master's degree in nursing AND three years of professional nursing experience 

OR 

Equivalent education/experience.

New class, consolidates 6235 Clinical Nurse Specialist, 56380 Clinical Nurse Specialist; adopted May 10, 2007, effective July 1, 2007.