Clinical Nurse Leader

Clinical Nurse Leader As today 's healthcare advances, so must the roles of today 's nurses. One new nursing role is that of the clinical nurse leader. Masters (2014) defines the clinical nurse leader as "an advanced generalist role prepared at the master 's level of education" (pg 378). After successfully graduating from the master 's degree program, the nurse must also pass a certification test set forth by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to become a clinical nurse leader (Fidel 2015). The education requirements of the clinical nurse leader build on those established in the baccalaureate nursing programs (Baernholdt and Cottingham 2011). Clinical nurse leaders also complete a designated number of preceptored hours.

The clinical nurse leader covers a broad spectrum of responsibilities, and is intended to facilitate cohesiveness of patient care between various departments. However, there tends to be some misunderstanding of the role amongst the general public. On one hand, the clinical nurse leader may be viewed as an authoritative position, serving in a supervisor role. In contrast, others view the clinical nurse leader role as that of a floor nurse, who possesses a higher level of education and skill set, able to “apply system-level thinking” (Baernholdt and Cottingham 2011). Rankin (2015) compares the role of the clinical nurse leader in the nursing profession to that of an attending physician with resident physicians. This implies that the clinical nurse leader can take on a teaching position within a facility, ensuring that all aspects of patient care are met and carried out. Although the clinical nurse leader is not expected to provide direct patient care, he or she is fully capable of doing so should the need arise (Rankin

Clinical nurse leaders are trained to look at the big picture of the patient 's care (Rankin 2015). He or she evaluates patient care from admission to home transition, and everything in between. Whether it be care at the bedside with the clinical nurse, collaborating with other colleagues, or taking on a social worker 's perspective, "the use of the clinical nurse leader role can have marked impact on current healthcare" (Rankin 2015). References

Baernholdt, M., & Cottingham, S. (2011, March). The Clinical Nurse Leader - new nursing role with global implications. International Nursing Review, 74-78.

Fidel, G. E. (2015, Aug). What is a Clinical Nurse Leader. Nevada RNformation, 16.

Masters, K. (2014). Role Development in Professional Nursing Practice (Third ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.

Rankin, V. (2015, May-Jun). Professional Issues. Clinical Nurse Leader: A Role for the 21st Century. MEDSURG Nursing,