Clinical Nurse Leader Essay

Educational Preparation of Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL)

The vision for the Clinical Nurse Leader CNL role began in 2003-2004 in response to the Institute of Medicine’s quality and safety reports. In 1999, the Institute of Medicine released its report, To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System, which called on health care systems to reduce medical errors and improve patient safety. In 2002, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation called for developing new practice models and enhancing collaboration between education and practice, and in 2003, the Institute of Medicine released its set of five core competencies that all clinicians should possess, regardless of their discipline, to meet the needs of patients in the 21st-century health care system. The Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) is a master’s educated nurse, prepared for practice across the continuum of care within any healthcare setting. The CNL was started by American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) in collaboration with leaders from the education and other healthcare practice to tackle the critical need to improve the quality of patient care outcomes. The first

The CNL oversees the care coordination of a distinct group of patients and provide direct patient care in complex situations. "They put evidence-based practice into action making sure patients benefit from the latest innovations in care delivery" (Stanley, 2011). The CNL evaluates patient outcomes, assesses cohort risk, oversees transitions of care, and has the decision-making authority to change care plans if necessary. The CNL is a leader and lateral integrator of care in any health care setting; but this role changes depending on the type of setting and patient