(1) Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) practice means the independent and/or collaborative delivery and management of individuals, families, groups, and communities. CNS practice integrates nursing practice, which focuses on assisting patients in the prevention or resolution of illness, with medical diagnosis and treatment of disease, injury, and disability. In addition to providing direct patient care, CNSs influence care outcomes by providing expert consultation for nursing staff and by implementing improvements in health care delivery systems. CNS certification may include the population focus of adult/geriatric, pediatric, neonatal, family/individual, and/or psychiatric/mental health.