Clinical nurse specialist regulation: the Maryland experience

High-quality care will continue to be a driver in the evolution of today's health care environment. Ensuring effective, cost-conscious, quality care is the core of clinical nurse specialist (CNS) practice. The CNS practice varies by state, depending on each state's Nurse Practice Act. Some states have separate scopes of practice for CNSs, including prescriptive authority, whereas some states do not recognize CNS practice as different from the practice of the registered nurse. The journey to state recognition and title protection for the CNS role in the state of Maryland is described.