| <Clinical Nurse Specialist> | <Nurse Educator> | Observations (Similarities/Differences) | |
| Ethics | Clinical nurse specialists possess complex decision-making abilities in addition to their extensive expert knowledge. They are well-informed on ethical principles in their profession. Studies have shown that they can effectively deal with complicated ethical issues that arise during patient care (Fukuda et al., 2020). This is beneficial not only to the patient but also to other nursing staff who can be enlightened as clinical nursing specialists can offer them guidance. | Nursing educators have been entrusted with the responsibility of creating awareness and training nursing students on professional ethics. This necessitates using interventions such as workshops, group discussions, and case scenarios to instill these ethical principles (Izadi et al., 2020). This ensures that students can uphold these values in the future during real-life clinical practice. | Nurse educators and CNSs are conservators of professional, ethical codes who can guide nurses and nursing students in adopting the same.
CNSs operate within the clinical setup and healthcare organizations, whereas nursing educators teach within nursing learning institutions. |
| Education | Clinical nurse specialists are advanced registered nurses. They usually have attained a master’s degree or doctoral training in their specialty (Ko et al., 2019). They are also accredited to practice in the clinical setting. They can educate other nurses, as well as the general population, on matters of health in an evidence-based manner. | The minimum qualification to work as a nurse educator is registered nurse certification together with certification in their field of teaching. However, this depends on the training institutions that may require a higher level of training, such as a master’s degree or doctoral training. | The two professions require possession of a registered nurse certification.
A Master’s degree or higher level qualifies one to be a clinical nurse specialist, which is not mandatory for a nurse educator. |
| Leadership | Clinical nurse specialists play a critical leadership role within the healthcare organization. They engage in administrative and management roles and participate in major decision-making to ensure quality patient-centered care (Ko et al., 2019). They lead the nurses in consultation and collaboration with other healthcare professionals (Lamb et al., 2018). They also take part in the formulation of policies regarding patient management and govern other nurses in various units within the hospital in implementing patient nursing care. | Nurse educators demonstrate leadership to their students by being their training facilitators. They are also role models and agents of change for the students through professional development. They also cultivate teamwork and collaboration among the students, especially in patient care. | Clinical nurse specialists and nurse educators are both looked up to as role models by other nurses and students, respectively.
They are both advocates for change through professional development and training. CNSs play a leadership role within the clinical setting, whereas nurse educators lead in the learning institution setting. CNSs equip their subordinates with evidence-based clinical skills in clinical nursing care which is limited as compared to learning institutions which majorly offer theoretical knowledge. |
| Public Health | CSNs ensure the provision of quality care to patients to ensure the wellness of the general population. Together with other multidisciplinary teams, they participate in health education for patients and the general public. | Nurse educators enlighten the students on infection prevention and control as part of the curriculum.
They also participate in and sometimes involve students in conducting scientific research on issues that may impact public health within the community. |
Both contribute to public health through awareness creation.
CSNs are in more contact with the patients and the general public and thus play a greater role in public health. |
| Health Care Administration | CSNs play an administrative role in the hospital setting by
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