CLINICAL NURSE LEADER 

Introduction

The Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) Role was developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing  (AACN) with a major goal of providing strategic nursing leadership and putting evidence-based practice into action to ensure that patients benefit from innovative care and deliver. The CNL role at The University of Alabama, Capstone College of Nursing focuses on health care within rural populations and targets clinical outcomes, individuals and groups of clients within a unit setting primarily at the micro-systems level.

The Emerging Role of the CNL Defined

The CNL is a clinician with formal education at a master's degree or higher level. Graduate education is necessary because the CNL must bring a high level of clinical competence and knowledge to a nursing team, as well as, the individuals or groups of patients' plans of care. This clinician evaluates patient outcomes, assesses cohort risk, and has the decision-making authority to change care plans when necessary. The CNL is a leader and active member of the interdisciplinary health care team. This professional clinician oversees care coordination of a distinct group of patients, is a resource for clinical decision making and serves as a lateral integrator of care. The CNL designs and directs care within a micro system ensuring best practices are brought to the point of service and patients/clients receive timely cost efficient care. The CNL is accountable for clinical and care environment outcomes as well as influencing work environments so as to increase nurse retention. This clinician functions as part of an interdisciplinary team by communicating, planning, and implementing care directly with other health care professionals, including physicians, pharmacists, social workers, therapists, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse practitioners. The CNL is a leader in the health care delivery system across all settings, not just acute care settings. The implementation of the CNL role will vary according to the health care setting.

Competencies and clinical learning experiences for CNL students are specified for each of the following CNL role components: client advocate, member of a profession, team manager, information manager, systems analyst/risk anticipator, clinician, outcomes manager, educator, and life long learner. The framework for the curriculum for the CNL includes the domains of leadership, clinical outcomes management, and care environment management.

(Information retrieved from: American Association of Colleges of Nursing CNL Handbook).

For a breakdown of competencies for the Clinical Nurse Leader, please see the following checklist:

CNL End of Program Competencies Checklist