The Oklahoma Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (OACNS) is the state’s sole affiliate of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS). Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) are one of the four recognized roles within advanced practice registered nursing (APRN). Like other APRNs, CNSs hold a master’s or doctoral degree and are licensed to diagnose, prescribe, and treat patients.

CNSs typically serve defined specialty populations across the continuum of care, such as gerontology, pediatrics, or neonatology, or focus on clinical specialties including emergency care, critical care, cardiology, neurology, endocrinology, and surgery. CNS education includes advanced coursework in pathophysiology, physical assessment, and pharmacology.

CNSs improve patient outcomes by delivering expert clinical care, leading the implementation of evidence-based practice, translating research into bedside interventions, providing education and mentorship to nursing staff, and optimizing policies, processes, and procedures at the system level.

• We recognized one deserving CNS with the Practice Excellence Award: Deborah Wright for her dedication to patients and families, her ongoing mentorship of her nursing and APRN colleagues, and her pivotal work in the development of a phase I trial program at the University of Oklahoma (OU) Stephenson Cancer Center.
• An outstanding CNS student scholarship was awarded with paid flight, hotel, and registration to the NACNS annual conference in March of 2025. Congratulations to Georgie Stoops, who is now a graduate of the OU CNS program.
• We held and will hold a toy drive at our holiday party to donate toys to hospitalized children for the holidays!
• We welcomed two new CNS student representatives, Amber Bowman and Cori Fritzler.
• Immediate Past President Kacy Aderhold and several other board members, including Michelle Pope, treasurer, Kristen Walcher, Director-at-Large Membership, Susan Dresser, member, and Amber Bowman and Brian Vilayvanh, CNS students, attended the 2025 National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) Conference in Boston in March.
• We supported HB 2298 and its passing into law through grassroots collaboration with other advanced practice groups and the Oklahoma Nurses Association, answering and disseminating calls to action, and spreading awareness of the APRN role and the importance of support for the bill.
• In April, OACNS held our 18th Annual Advanced Pharmacology Conference, where we hosted over 100 participants, including APRNs and students. The conference provided APRNs with 17 pharmacology hours, 14.2 continuing nursing education hours, and 3 hours of opioid and pain management hours. This conference showcased exceptional presentations from advanced practice registered nurses, pharmacists, physicians, and other professionals. The 2025 conference was our third year of our hybrid and on-demand format, which allowed us to continue to connect and engage with a broader audience.
• We had several board members, members, and students who were selected as 2025 Great 100 Nurses of Oklahoma awardees. Congratulations to Erica Melick, Stacie Hanes, Georgie Stoops, Jennifer Rios, and Brandy Burgess!
• In addition, we congratulate Erica Melick for the March of Dimes 2025 Nurse of the Year in education, and Karen Genzel and Brandy Burgess for the March of Dimes 2025 Nurse of the Year in advanced practice.
• Kacy Aderhold was nationally recognized for her work in diabetes care by the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists with the 2025 Advancing the Vision Award.
• In 2025, OACNS began a Mentorship Program called “Empowering the Next Generation of Nurses,” an annual initiative dedicated to cultivating the next generation of advanced practice nurses through direct, personalized mentorship. Each year, this prestigious program selects up to two mentees to be paired with experienced Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) in a year-long journey of growth, exploration, and professional development. We congratulate the 2025 Mentee Award Winner, Jaiden Wright-Goff.