California CNS advisory committee debates requiring national certification and oversight of CNS programs

Members of the Board of Registered NursingClinical Nurse Specialist Advisory Committee on Aug. 27 discussed draft regulatory language addressing licensure pathways, national certification, and oversight of CNS education but took no formal regulatory vote.

The committee heard public comment and a presentation from the California Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (CACNS) on advocacy for "full practice authority," and staff from the BRN described the multi-step regulatory review process and limits set by state statute.

Loretta (BRN executive officer) told the committee that the board "has directed us to align with the consensus model," but she emphasized that current California statute limits the CNS role: "right now, the CNS has the scope of practice of an RN even though they are an APRN," and therefore the state does not yet provide an expanded APRN scope of practice for CNSs.

Terry Arris, director of the clinical nurse specialist program at California State University, Dominguez Hills, urged caution about adding oversight requirements. She said CNS programs "have been in decline for the last 15 years" and warned that additional, burdensome state regulation could further reduce program availability. "I just wanna urge the committee to be cautious in how they decide to require any oversight," she said.

Mary Launson Nichols, president of the California…