NRS 440VN Week 5 Topic 5 DQ 1

Identify the educational preparation and role(s) of the clinical nurse leader (CNL) designation. Give an example of how the CNL influences direct patient care whether in a hospital or out in the community.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

The educational preparation and role(s) of the clinical nurse leader (CNL)

Introduction

Clinical nurse leaders (CNLs) are the future of healthcare. They bring expertise, leadership and vision to their care teams. The CNL role is one that requires commitment, time and hard work but it has great rewards for nurses who embrace this new challenge.

Aims

This article aims to provide a clear understanding of the preparation and roles of the CNL. The term “clinical nurse leader” (CNL) has been used in both nursing and management literature since the early 1990s, but has only recently become widely accepted as a role in healthcare organizations. The purpose of this paper is to explore how CNLs can contribute effectively to quality improvement initiatives, improve patient safety, and enhance clinical practice through their knowledge base on assessment processes that support decision making with evidence-based practice guidelines or protocols (1).

The aim of this article is not just about what you need to know about being an effective leader; it’s also about why you should be one!

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes of this course are to:

• Describe the role of the clinical nurse leader (CNL),

• Explain the importance of the CNL in the CMSA vision,

• Explain the rationale for having a CNL role within your organisation.

Background

The CNL is a new role and it’s important to understand that the CNL has many different roles. The CNL is:

• A registered nurse who has been trained in leadership and management skills, as well as education.

• A leader who can help others make positive changes in their work environment by providing support, creating vision, setting goals for each person involved in the project or program (e.g., students), creating opportunities for growth (e.g., workshops), making decisions about which activities/projects will be supported by funding sources such as grants or contracts with external organizations (for example: colleges).

The CMSA vision and the CNL role

The CMSA vision is to become the leading provider of quality nursing care in Ontario. The CNL role is to facilitate the implementation of this vision.

The CMSA vision encompasses all aspects of patient care, from acute care to post-acute levels, including:

• Strong leadership at all levels – from hospital administrators through nursing staff;

• Effective teamwork across departments; and

• Improved communication with patients and families (including advocacy).

Rationale for the CNL role

There is a lot of confusion about the role of the CNL. This is partly because it has not been around long enough to be standardized and defined. The term CNL has been used in different ways over time, and there hasn’t been a clear consensus on what it means or how it should be used.

The following are some possible definitions that could help clarify your understanding:

• Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) – A leader who provides vision, direction, coaching and support for nursing teams at all levels within an organization across disciplines or settings such as hospital/health system/community health center; home health agency; school district; public sector agency; private practice setting; managed care organization etc… This person may also serve as an advocate for quality improvement initiatives such as patient safety initiatives where possible!

Roles of the CNL

As a CNL, you are expected to:

• Advise the nursing team on how to improve patient care.

• Lead clinical teams and coordinate their work effectively.

In addition to these core responsibilities, clinical nurse leaders (CNLs) also play a key role in improving quality of care outcomes for patients through their leadership skills and ability to foster teamwork among all staff members involved in patient care.

Preparation of the CNL

The CNL is the leader of a clinical team and must be prepared for his or her role. It is important for nurses to understand that the CNL plays an important role in patient care, especially during transitions between services. A successful transition requires that all staff members are aware of their responsibilities as well as how they can assist each other in providing quality care.

The CNL should be prepared by completing an orientation program that introduces them specifically to their responsibilities within the organization’s system of care, including education and leadership development opportunities within nursing roles (e.g., preceptorship). In addition, many organizations offer on-the-job training opportunities such as shadowing experienced nurses or attending conferences where experts share their knowledge with new leaders who want greater insight into their profession’s current practices

Competency areas for the CNL

The CNL is expected to be competent in the following competencies:

• Knowledge of the health care system and practice. The CNL will have a thorough knowledge of nursing, as well as all other aspects of health care delivery, including policy and regulations (e.g., Medicare), reimbursement issues, legislation affecting nursing practice (e.g., patient safety), research trends and methodologies used by the profession at large.

• Knowledge of the nursing process: It is important for CNIs to understand what it means to provide effective patient care through evidence-based practice standards; they should also be able to articulate how these standards impact their work on a daily basis within their institution or facility setting (e.g., hospital). This requires an understanding not only about individual patients but also how they interact with each other while under treatment together as families/caregivers/family members/community members etcetera…

Clinical situation as a guide for performance assessment of the CNL

The clinical situation is the setting in which the CNL works. It can be thought of as the context in which they work, or more specifically, it includes all aspects of their environment that influence how they perform. For example, if you are a CNL working in a busy emergency department (ED), your ability to manage staff may be affected by factors such as:

• limited time for breaks and lunch breaks

• interruptions from patients or family members needing attention

• distractions like televisions playing loudly on other floors

Conclusion

The clinical nurse leader (CNL) role is a new role emerging in the healthcare industry to help support safe and effective care for patients. One of the key roles of this position is to ensure that nurses are proficient in their knowledge and skills so they can provide safe, high quality care for their patients while also ensuring they’re receiving ongoing training on new developments in technology or best practices.

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