The Coalition of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses of Indiana (CAPNI) proudly celebrates Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Recognition Week from Sept. 1 to 7, 2025.
This year’s national theme, “Collaboration,” recognizes the critical role CNSs play in connecting people, disciplines, and systems to improve patient outcomes and strengthen healthcare delivery.
A CNS is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) prepared by a master’s, or doctoral, or post-graduate certificate level CNS program. CNSs diagnose, prescribe, and treat patients and specialty populations across the continuum of care. CNSs improve outcomes by providing direct patient care, leading evidence-based practice, optimizing organizational systems, and advancing nursing practice.
“CNSs are natural collaborators,” said Brandee Wornhoff, MSN, RN, CNS-BC, the CNS Representative for CAPNI. “They bridge the gap between bedside care and system-wide change – partnering with health care team members from every discipline, administrators, and patients to deliver the safest, high-quality care.”
Indiana is home to more than 500 CNSs, working in hospitals, outpatient clinics, behavioral health settings, and academic institutions. CNSs in the state are leading improvements in areas such as implementing best practice specialized care, chronic disease management, mental and behavioral health services, infection prevention, patient safety, and advancing the practice of nursing.
Indiana APRNs, including CNSs, Nurse Practitioners (NPs), and Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) are licensed and prepared to provide direct patient care, including diagnosing, prescribing, and treating patients, but in Indiana, outdated legislation limits the ability to practice at the full extent of their education and training. Indiana requires APRNs to enter into a contract with a physician to get prescriptive authority, which is not needed in the majority of states or Washington, D.C. These regulations are burdensome, costly, and restrict patients’ access to high-quality care, particularly in underserved and rural areas.
CAPNI strongly supports Full Practice Authority (FPA) for all APRNs. Granting FPA would:
- Expand access to timely, evidence-based care
- Allow APRNs to fully utilize their education and training
- Strengthen interprofessional collaboration without unnecessary delays
- Reduce healthcare costs and improve system efficiency
“When APRNs are allowed to practice to the full extent of their education and training, everyone benefits – patients, families, nurses, physicians, and health systems,” said CAPNI President Kristy Umana, MSN, FNP-C. “Collaboration works best when it’s not held back by outdated barriers.”
As CNS Week 2025 approaches, CAPNI calls on healthcare leaders, legislators, and communities across Indiana to recognize the leadership and collaborative expertise APRNs offer. Let’s support policies that allow them to thrive and do their best work.
To learn more about Clinical Nurse Specialists and how they impact care in Indiana, visit capni.org or nacns.org or follow CAPNI’s spotlight stories throughout the week using #CNSWeek and #CAPNI.
About the Coalition of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses of Indiana
CAPNI’s mission is to promote, advance, support, and advocate for APRN practice in Indiana which includes Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nurse Practitioners, and Certified Nurse Midwives. CAPNI is a membership-driven organization committed to influencing health policy, supporting professional growth, and building a statewide community for the more than 9,000 APRNs in the state.