LEVEL OF
ACCOUNTABI
LITY
Independent,
highest level
accountability,
accountable for
advanced,
assessment,referr
als, diagnosis,
treatment, and
consultations for
individuals to
communities**
Independent,
highest level
accountability,
accountable
for advanced,
assessment,ref
errals,
diagnosis,
treatment, and
consultations
for individuals
to
communities,
gynecologic
care,
postpartum
and prenatal
care, family
planning **
Independent,
highest level
accountability,
accountable
for advanced,
assessment,ref
errals,
diagnosis,
treatment, and
consultations
for individuals
to
communities*
*
Highest level
accountability,
accountable
for advanced,
assessment,ref
errals,
diagnosis,
treatment, and
consultations
for individuals
to
communities*
*
PATIENT
POPULATION
Everyone over
their life span
from birth to
death, wide range
of care settings
including the
home, clinics, and
hospital **
Women over
their life span
from birth to
death, their
partners
reproductive
health, their
partner’s
sexually
transmitted
diseases, and
newborns**
Everyone over
their life span
from birth to
death**
Everyone over
their life span
from birth to
death**
SALARY
Approximately
$117,000****,**
******
Approximatel
y
$126,000****
**
Approximatel
y
$208,000****
*
Approximatel
y
$119,000****
***
SCOPE OF
PRACTICE
Health
promotion,
counseling,
disease
prevention,
referrals,**
Restricted
Practice,*
Requires practice
agreement with a
currently licensed
physician Can
order treatments,
medications and
therapeutics**
Gynecologic
care, newborn,
Can order
treatments,
medications
and
therapeutics,
health
promotion,
counseling,
disease
prevention,
referrals,**
Persons in
immediate to
life-
threatening
circumstances,
can order
treatments,
medications
and
therapeutics,
health
promotion,
counseling,
disease
prevention,
referrals,**
Health
promotion,
counseling,
education,
disease
prevention,
disease
management,
referrals,
direct and
indirect client
care, No
prescriptive
authority**
POSITIVES
Expanded nursing
role, able to work
in a variety of
settings
Independent
service, does
not need
prescriptive
authority
requirements
Able to work
with a wide
range of
clients
More similar
than other
APRN roles to
the current
register nurse
role, therefore
more familiar
in that the
CNS works
according to
the orders of
another
licensed
professional
NEGATIVES
Need prescriptive
authority
requirement, must
consult with a
physician for
certain
prescriptions and/
or therapies
Narrow client
base
Need
prescriptive
authority
requirement,
job consists of
safely
anesthetizing
people and
waking them
Not authorized
for
prescriptive
authority
up
The psychiatric clinical nurse specialist (PCNS) is an additional APRN role
for a total of 5 APRN clinical categories in Massachusetts (Board of Registration in
Nursing, 2019).
The reason for choosing the certified nurse practitioner practice role as
opposed to any of the other advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) roles is
because it allows for direct nursing care with an expanded role in that care. There is
also the versatility of the CNP role. The CNP is able to work in any number of
