The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) recently endorsed the "Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Competencies," developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing , Washington, D.C., with The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at New York University and National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists , Philadelphia.
The Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Competencies update and validate the entry-level abilities for graduates of master's, doctorate and post-graduate programs to prepare the adult-gerontology CNS for certification and licensure. Focusing on the unique practice knowledge, skills and attitudes of the adult-gerontology CNS, they build on graduate, APRN and national CNS core competencies.
AACN Clinical Practice Manager Robi Hellman, RN, MSN, CNS, notes the relevance of the updates to critical care nurses and other healthcare providers, stating, "These competencies are critical for safe and consistent nursing practice. Our diverse membership in the largest specialty nursing organization in the world includes bedside clinicians, advanced practice nurses and academic faculty who utilize these to ensure appropriate training and clinical skills for their students."