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Situating the Clinical Nurse Specialist Role in British Columbia : An Environmental Scan to Inform Workforce Development and Policy Planning Lambert, Leah Kimberley; Lauck, Sandra B.; Kaur, Jagbir; Kilgour, Heather M.; Chiu, Charissa

Abstract

Background: Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) are positioned to support health system transformation, but their roles remain underdeveloped, sub-optimally deployed, and vastly underutilized in British Columbia (BC). Objective: This rapid environmental scan aimed to identify key workforce considerations, barriers, enablers, and evidence-informed strategies to guide CNS workforce planning and policy development across BC health authorities and potentially beyond. Methods: A targeted review of provincial, national, and international resources and contemporary evidence was conducted. Findings: The scan identified persistent challenges related to role clarity, regulatory support, education pathways, and funding stability, as well as opportunities to advance CNS role development through strengthened mentorship networks, leadership support, structured education pathways, and coordinated policy and workforce planning initiatives. Conclusion: These findings provide a foundation for the next phases of research, which will further inform the development of evidence-based recommendations to support the integration, sustainability, and optimization of CNS roles within BC’s specialized health services.

Item Metadata

Title
Situating the Clinical Nurse Specialist Role in British Columbia : An Environmental Scan to Inform Workforce Development and Policy Planning
Alternate Title
CNS Workforce : Environmental Scan 2025
Creator
Lambert, Leah Kimberley; Lauck, Sandra B.; Kaur, Jagbir; Kilgour, Heather M.; Chiu, Charissa
Contributor
BC Cancer Research Centre; Provincial Health Services Authority (B.C.); St. Paul's Hospital (Vancouver, B.C.)
Date Issued
2025-06
Description
Background: Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) are positioned to support health system transformation, but their roles remain underdeveloped, sub-optimally deployed, and vastly underutilized in British Columbia (BC). Objective: This rapid environmental scan aimed to identify key workforce considerations, barriers, enablers, and evidence-informed strategies to guide CNS workforce planning and policy development across BC health authorities and potentially beyond. Methods: A targeted review of provincial, national, and international resources and contemporary evidence was conducted. Findings: The scan identified persistent challenges related to role clarity, regulatory support, education pathways, and funding stability, as well as opportunities to advance CNS role development through strengthened mentorship networks, leadership support, structured education pathways, and coordinated policy and workforce planning initiatives. Conclusion: These findings provide a foundation for the next phases of research, which will further inform the development of evidence-based recommendations to support the integration, sustainability, and optimization of CNS roles within BC’s specialized health services.
Genre
Report
Type
Text
Language
eng
Date Available
2025-06-27
Provider
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
DOI
10.14288/1.0449240
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/2429/91475
Affiliation
Applied Science, Faculty of; Non UBC; Nursing, School of
Peer Review Status
Unreviewed
Scholarly Level
Faculty; Researcher; Graduate
Rights URI
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International