The quest to equip more nurses with competent knowledge and skills in an effort to address the increasing complex health needs of the people led to the institution of the Masters’ degree. I will interview a clinical nurse leader; a master’s prepared nurse, with the aim of gaining a deeper understanding of the role. In addition, the exercise will add to the existing knowledge regarding opportunities and career development paths available for clinical nurse leaders. The interview will also evoke the views of the interviewee regarding the role of clinical nurse leaders, hence providing information about MSN in practice.
Overview of Clinical Nurse Leader
A clinical nurse leader, CNL, is a masters’ prepared nurse who is equipped with knowledge and skills to deliver high quality general and comprehensive care to patients (AACN, 2016). CNLs primarily focus on delivering direct care to patients with complex health needs by implementing evidence-based information and collaborating with other care professionals. The most significant role of a CNL is to uphold the quality of healthcare services at unit levels. Quality can be improved through enhancement of the environment, professional communication, coordination of care, risks management and prevention, and evaluation of clinical outcomes (AACN, 2013).
CNLs can work in all settings of care, but at the micro level of care systems (AACN, 2013). Since the CNLs work in direct care, their contribution to evidence-based practice is patient values and expert opinions. Working in direct care with the patients offers the CNLs opportunities to interact with the patients, and uncover the issues that mostly affect the patients under care. As patient advocates, CNLs are mandated to identify areas that require improvement, and collaborate with other care givers and legislators to develop policies and regulations that can improve the identified issues. The clinical nurse leaders also have the responsibility of advancing the future of nursing by upgrading their educational and experiential knowledge. To retain their licenses, they are required to attain certain amount of course hours, in addition to practice hours.
Reason for Seeking Graduate Education
The healthcare industry is one of the most dynamic industries, hence demands for continuous improvement and upgrading of the knowledge and skills. One way of upgrading the skills and competencies of nursing staff is through education. In the recent past, the education system has been reviewed and transformed in an effort to provide a viable platform for learning for nurses in practice. Seeking graduate education not only confers the much needed knowledge and skills on the nurses, but it also gives them an opportunity to pursue advanced practice roles. In its report n conjunction with the IOM, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recommended nursing education as a way of addressing the increasing health needs of American citizens.
Undertaking graduate education, therefore, benefits the patients as well. According to the interviewee, the graduate education has put her on the path to greater involvement with patient care, which is her passion. She also indicates that being a clinical nurse leader offers her greater satisfaction in work, in addition to providing her with a good opportunity for career development. Advocating for the rights of the patients and other nurses is also another advantage of seeking graduate education.
Present Position and Role
The interviewee indicates that the present position offers her the best opportunity for practice and career growth. Delivering bedside care provides her with the opportunity to interact with patients directly; hence she is in a position to identify the problems that affect the patient during care. The interviewee says that as a CNL, she is serves as a critical resource for the nursing team when handling complex health issues. Due to their high level of competence and knowledge, CNLs act as leaders of the nurse team in various care settings.
Other roles of CNLs include coordination and evaluation of care of patients, collection of care outcomes, risk prevention and management, implementation of evidence based practice and care, evaluation of the improvement of point-of care outcomes, and stewardship of all resources in an effort to drive patient advocacy (AACN, 2013). The patient also indicates that she collaborates with individuals, families, and communities to identify health issues, and collaborates with care providers to identify ways through which the health issues can be addressed.
Graduate education is important for the present role of a CNL because it enhances her skills and competency in care delivery. The enhanced competency of the CNL results to improved patient safety, hence better patient outcomes. In addition, the graduate education offers the nurses a path for career development, while at the same time rendering critical care services to the patients.
Conclusion
The interviewee offers critical pearls of wisdom in regards to nursing care in general, and becoming a CNL in particular. According to the interviewee, one requires more than education to be a successful CNL. Nursing demands more than out time as it is an emotionally-engaging profession. Therefore, it is important that a CNL bears the passion to pursue the career. Self-motivation is also another important component in becoming a successful CNL. One of the core competencies that stood out from the interview and is consistent with the AACN education essentials is the Quality Improvement and Safety essential. CNLs are responsible for pursuing higher quality of care services for the patients.
References
AACN. (2013). Competencies and curricular expectations for clinical nurse leader education
and practice. Retrieved from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/publications/white-papers/cnl
AACN. (2016). Masters’ education in nursing and areas of practice. Retrieved from
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/faculty/faculty-tool-kits/masters-essentials/areas-of-practice
