MSN for RNs: Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL), MSN

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The master’s prepared clinical nurse leader (CNL) is responsible for clinical management of comprehensive client care, for individuals and clinical populations across the continuum of care, and in multiple settings. The CNL assumes leadership/accountability for health outcomes for a specific group of clients within a unit or setting through the assimilation and application of research-based information to design, implement, and evaluate plans of care. The clinical nurse leader is also responsible for the coordination and planning of care team activities and functions. Health promotion, risk reduction, and improvement in point-of-care outcomes are critical elements in the role of the clinical nurse leader.

Applicants to the post-licensure Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) program must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university. The program is six terms in length and offered as a part-time program of study. The majority of the CNL program is offered on-line, but students are required to come to campus for NSG - 625L Advanced Health Assessment for Advanced Practice Nursing Across the Lifespan: Lab . This is a live, on-campus compressed (3-4 day) format course. There is a clinical residency requirement that may be completed at the student’s place of employment.

All MSN students are expected to complete their degree requirements in no more than five years.

Terminal Objectives

Both the pre-licensure and post-licensure MSN programs comprehensively prepare students to be graduate nurse clinicians with a focus in clinical leadership.

To achieve quality patient (client/population/cohort of clients) outcomes, the Clinical Nurse Leader will:

Deliver holistic, competent, and contextually appropriate patient/family/population-centered nursing care.
Synthesize scientific evidence and innovative technologies to guide nursing practice in dynamic care environments.
Develop collaborative, interdisciplinary, and multi-sector relationships to ensure improved health care.
Demonstrate leadership behaviors within and across systems at all levels of prevention.
Manage the structure and processes of the care environment, incorporating policy, fiscal, and macro-system concepts.
Demonstrate professional values in nursing practice.
Employ therapeutic use of self and intentional presence to protect the value of the human relationship.

Graduation Requirements

MSN for RNs: Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) requires a minimum of 37 credit hours and 400 clock hours of clinical instruction. Graduates are eligible to sit for CNL certification.