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29-1141.04 · Task explorer

Clinical Nurse Specialists: reported tasks and exploration worksheet

Direct nursing staff in the provision of patient care in a clinical practice setting, such as a hospital, hospice, clinic, or home. Ensure adherence to established clinical policies, protocols, regulations, and standards.

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This source lists 30 tasks, including 30 marked Core and 0 marked Supplemental. Labels and dates are retained below. Employers can combine or divide these responsibilities differently; explore the task itself before assuming it belongs in every version of the role.

Task source dates: 08/2025.

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30 tasks shown

Core · Task 18004 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Provide specialized direct and indirect care to inpatients and outpatients within a designated specialty, such as obstetrics, neurology, oncology, or neonatal care.

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Core · Task 18006 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Collaborate with other health care professionals and service providers to ensure optimal patient care.

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Core · Task 18016 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.

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Core · Task 18008 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Develop, implement, or evaluate standards of nursing practice in specialty area, such as pediatrics, acute care, and geriatrics.

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Core · Task 18005 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Maintain departmental policies, procedures, objectives, or infection control standards.

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Core · Task 18013 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Instruct nursing staff in areas such as the assessment, development, implementation, and evaluation of disability, illness, management, technology, or resources.

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Core · Task 20415 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Develop and maintain departmental policies, procedures, objectives, or patient care standards, based on evidence-based practice guidelines or expert opinion.

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Core · Task 18002 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice or organizational systems.

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Core · Task 18001 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Observe, interview, and assess patients to identify care needs.

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Core · Task 21188 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Provide coaching and mentoring to other caregivers to help facilitate their professional growth and development.

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Core · Task 18017 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Monitor or evaluate medical conditions of patients in collaboration with other health care professionals.

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Core · Task 18003 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Provide direct care by performing comprehensive health assessments, developing differential diagnoses, conducting specialized tests, or prescribing medications or treatments.

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Core · Task 20416 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Design evaluation programs regarding the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice or organizational systems.

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Core · Task 20414 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Provide consultation to other health care providers in areas such as patient discharge, patient care, or clinical procedures.

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Core · Task 18015 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Identify training needs or conduct training sessions for nursing students or medical staff.

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Core · Task 18000 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Coordinate or conduct educational programs or in-service training sessions on topics such as clinical procedures.

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Core · Task 18010 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Make clinical recommendations to physicians, other health care providers, insurance companies, patients, or health care organizations.

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Core · Task 20417 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Design patient education programs that include information required to make informed health care and treatment decisions.

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Core · Task 18018 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Participate in clinical research projects, such as by reviewing protocols, reviewing patient records, monitoring compliance, and meeting with regulatory authorities.

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Core · Task 18009 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Develop or assist others in development of care and treatment plans.

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Core · Task 18014 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Direct or supervise nursing care staff in the provision of patient therapy.

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Core · Task 18007 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Develop nursing service philosophies, goals, policies, priorities, or procedures.

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Core · Task 20418 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Lead nursing department implementation of, or compliance with, regulatory or accreditation processes.

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Core · Task 18012 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Present clients with information required to make informed health care and treatment decisions.

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Core · Task 20419 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Chair nursing departments or committees.

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Core · Task 18011 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Plan, evaluate, or modify treatment programs, based on information gathered by observing and interviewing patients or by analyzing patient records.

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Core · Task 20420 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Teach patient education programs that include information required to make informed health care and treatment decisions.

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Core · Task 18021 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Write nursing orders.

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Core · Task 18019 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Perform discharge planning for patients.

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Core · Task 18020 · 08/2025 · Occupational Expert

Prepare reports to document patients' care activities.

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Make the shortlist useful

Choose one to three activities that tell you something different about the work. Avoid selecting several ways of describing the same interest.
For each, write an example you can discuss or a question that would change your understanding of the role.
Keep source task IDs with your notes so you can return to the same description. Do not include private employer or customer information.

The exported worksheet distinguishes the reported task from your own notes. It supports exploration, not a hiring decision or a validated assessment.

Keep your worksheet

Download before leaving this page. Unsaved writing remains only in the page and is cleared on refresh. Notes and learning actions are not sent to a server. This guide describes an occupation and supports study planning; it does not provide clinical, legal or equipment-operating procedures.

Source and practice material

Occupational context uses the O*NET® 31.0 Database from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. View the occupation.

Skill Workbench selected and adapted the occupational information and added its own fictional cases, calculations, guidance and worksheets. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these additions. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.