To recognize outstanding contributions and excellence to the field of clinical nurse specialists, the Clinical Nurse Specialist Institute (CNSI) selected 38 nurses to its inaugural class of fellows, including three ONS members Marilyn Chrisman, MS, APRN, GCNS-BC, Patricia Geddie, PhD, CNS, AOCNS®, and Tina Mason, MSN, ARNP, AOCN®, AOCNS®. They will be among the first fellows to use the FCNS credential in practice.
“Learning of my selection as a member of the inaugural CNSI fellows class was truly a pinnacle moment of my 30-year career as a CNS,” Chrisman said. “The three spheres of CNS influence—patient care, nursing practice, and healthcare delivery systems—have provided me the opportunity to find joy in my work while making meaningful contributions in the specialties of gerontologic and oncology nursing practice. I look forward to representing clinical nurse specialists as a CNSI fellow.”
Fellows will be inducted in either 2019 or 2020 at the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists’ (NACNS) annual conference fellowship dinner. The 2019 fellows will be inducted on March 8 at NACNS’s annual meeting in Orlando, FL.
“We are very proud of the 38 outstanding CNSs who are part of the inaugural class of fellows,” ONS member Melissa Craft, PhD, APRN-CNS, AOCN®, chair of CNSI, said. “Each has made outstanding contributions to the nursing professions, the CNS role, and nursing and healthcare leadership and scholarship.”
As vital members of any oncology team, CNSs are dedicated to patient-centered practice, working closely with staff, patients, and other stakeholders to ensure the delivery of holistic, safe, high-quality care. Through advanced training, CNS offer specialized knowledge to all facets of patient care. To learn more about the CNS role and competencies for oncology practice, check out ONS’s Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist Competencies.