Clinical Nurse Specialist - Acute Care/Medical Surgical

About the job

Join Our Team as a Clinical Nurse Specialist at Riley Children's Health!

Are you a passionate and dedicated nurse ready to make a significant impact on the lives of children? Look no further! Riley Children's Health, Indiana’s largest and most renowned pediatric healthcare system, is inviting you to join our exceptional team as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS). With over 50 locations across the state and recognized as one of the nation’s leading healthcare networks for children, we are committed to delivering the highest level of care to our young patients.

Why Choose Riley Children's Health?

At Riley, we pride ourselves on being the only pediatric research hospital in Indiana, consistently ranked among the top hospitals nationally by U.S. News & World Report. Our multidisciplinary team of pediatric specialists collaborates closely to provide comprehensive healthcare tailored to each child's unique needs. Our partnerships with the Indiana University School of Medicine, School of Nursing, and School of Health and Human Sciences position us as one of the top 10 pediatric health research sites in the United States, promising a vibrant environment for innovation and professional growth.

Your New Role

As a Clinical Nurse Specialist, you will be supporting Acute Care/Medical Surgical at Riley Children’s Hospital, with a focus on improving patient outcomes and quality of care, reducing nursing practice gaps, and implementing evidence-based practice and nursing research.an influential role where your expertise can shine.  This is a salaried nursing leadership role aligned with the Nursing Practice department

Whether you’re an established CNS or clinical nurse expert aspiring to become one, we encourage you to apply. We also offer secondary roles for those interested in pursuing CNS programs in the future!

Empower Your Career

At IU Health, we prioritize your personal and professional growth. You’ll gain access to a wealth of resources, including:

• Comprehensive training and leadership development opportunities
• A clear path for advancement through promotions and cross-training initiatives
• A competitive benefits package that includes Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance, a matching 401K, generous Paid Time Off (PTO), and tuition reimbursement
• Wellness programs that support your health and well-being

What You’ll Do

A Clinical Nurse Specialist functions as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse leader dedicated to supporting nursing practice within three spheres of impact: patient, nursing, and system/organization.

Patient sphere: The Clinical Nurse Specialist supports complex and high-risk patient populations by providing expert clinical consultation, including advanced assessment, diagnosis, and management, while developing evidence-based care recommendations and advocating for patient rights and preferences.

Nursing sphere: The CNS mentors and role-models nursing practice excellence, standardizes evidence-based clinical practices, assesses the care and practice environment for improvement opportunities, and partners with interdisciplinary teams to prevent and mitigate patient harm.

Systems sphere: At the organizational level, the CNS leads unit, hospital, and system evidence-based practice initiatives; advises on nursing policies, guidelines, and protocols; evaluates new clinical products and technology; and supports the implementation and sustainment of nursing practice changes.

Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree of Nursing (BSN) required.
• Master in nursing as Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) required.
• Requires an active Registered Nurse (RN) license in the state of Indiana or an active Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) RN license and meets regulatory requirements to practice as a CNS.
• Requires 3-5 years of advanced clinical skills typically gained through nursing experience.
• Requires Basic Life Support certification through the AHA.
• Other advanced life support certifications may be required per unit/department specialty according to patient care policies.

Take the Next Step!

If you’re ready to elevate your nursing career and be part of a team that truly values dedication, innovation, and collaboration, we want to hear from you! Join us at Riley Children's Health and make a lasting impact on the future of pediatric care. Apply today!

About Us

• Indiana University Health has nearly 40,000 team members, including more than 3,600 physicians and 1,200 advanced practice providers, and we’re home to the largest nursing network in Indiana with more than 9,000 nursing team members at over 800 sites of care.

• IU Health is ranked No. 1 in Indiana by U.S. News & World Report, Riley Children's Health is ranked among the top children's hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report.

• A unique partnership with the Indiana University School of Medicine – one of the nation’s largest medical schools – gives patients access to groundbreaking research and innovative treatments, and it offers team members access to the latest science and the very best training – advancing healthcare for all.

With 15 hospitals, including seven with Magnet designation and eight with Pathways to Excellence designation, our team members are leading the way through excellence.

• At Indiana University Health, your personal and professional growth is a top priority. You will have access to many diverse opportunities to learn and develop in meaningful ways that matter most to you, such as advanced clinical training, leadership development, promotion opportunities and cross training development.

• Indiana University Health is invested in the lives of Hoosiers, leading the transformation of healthcare to make Indiana one of the nation’s healthiest states.

Indiana University Health is Indiana’s most comprehensive health system, with 15 hospitals and nearly 40,000 team members serving Hoosiers across the state. We’re looking for team members who are inspired by challenging and meaningful work for the good of every patient. People who are compassionate and serve with a purpose. People who aspire to excellence every day.

Additional Information

• Job Identification: 428661
• Job Category: Nursing
• Posting Date: 2026-10-06
• Job Schedule: Full time
• Locations: 705 Riley Hospital Dr, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, US ()