Master of Science in Nursing - Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL)
Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL)
The 42-credit on-line graduate program* prepares students for an advanced practice role across the continuum of care within any healthcare setting. The program requires 400 practicum hours in the healthcare setting. The CNL was developed by AACN in collaboration with leaders from healthcare practice and education to address the critical need to improve the quality of patient care outcomes.
The CNL is a Master’s prepared nurse and an advanced generalist who provides care at the point of care to patients, families, and communities. CNLs are responsible for management and coordination of comprehensive client care and function primarily in the microsystem.
The CNL is a leader in the healthcare delivery system in all settings in which healthcare is delivered. CNL practice will vary across settings. The CNL is not one of administration or management. The CNL assumes accountability for patient-care outcomes through the assimilation and application of evidence-based information to design, implement, and evaluate patient-care processes and models of care delivery. The CNL is a provider and manager of care at the point of care to individuals and cohorts of patients anywhere healthcare is delivered.
* International students must meet the on-campus component for this program.
Summary of Requirements
YEAR ONE - FALL SEMESTER: 9 credits
NURG5002RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This course is designed to provide the student with knowledge about the interaction of theory and research for the acquisitition of knowledge and for advanced nursing practice. It focuses on the value of scientific evidence and nursing as a discipline as the basis for providing quality care and improving nursing practice. The student will develop an understanding of the research process, acquire the knowledge and skills needed to critically evaluate nursing reasearch and evidence-based practice. The interrelationship of theory and research will be explored, and extant therories that guide nursing practice will be examined.
PREREQUISITES:
Graduate Students Only
NURG5004THEORY AND PROFESSIONAL NURSING PRACTICE
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This course provides the foundation for comprehensive nursing practice. Students explore theories from nursing, natural, social, biological, and organizational sciences to frame their future practice. Key concepts are presented regarding leadership, adult learning, communication, professionalism, human diversity, and transition of the nurse to the nursing practice role.
NURG5006HEALTHCARE DELIVERY SYSTEMS
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This course focuses on three main areas of the healthcare delivery system: healthcare economics (payers, providers, consumers, value based purchasing), health informatics (management of health data to improve aspects of health outcomes such as cost, quality, safety and satisfaction), and quality care and patient outcomes (as defined by various agencies and regulatory bodies such as NDNQI, AHRQ, CSM and private payers). The synthesis of these three important concepts will provide a foundation for the advanced practice nurse to make clinical decisions and to improve patient care and outcomes.
YEAR ONE - SPRING SEMESTER: 10 credits
NURG5007COMPREHENSIVE PHARMACOLOGY
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This course provides the opportunity for students to acquire complex knowledge and skills in the pharmacologic treatment of commonly encountered health problems and to build on foundational concepts from a basic pharmacology course and experience in the clinical setting. The role of the nurse in collaboration with health team members in providing safe and effective drug therapy will be explored. Principle of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacogenetics, and pharmacogenomics as well as adverse drug reactions will be incorporated in the decision-making process to assess and monitor drug therapy and to teach patients safe and effective medication administration. The effects of culture, ethnicity, age, pregnancy, gender and economics on pharmacologic therapy will be emphasized. Assessment of the use of herbal and nutritional supplements, nutraceutical, and over-the-counter drugs on prescribed therapies will be addressed. In addition, current issues in drug therapy will be discussed such as the role of the nurse in the current opioid epidemic and the use of medical marijuana.
NURG5009COMPREHENSIVE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This course focuses on the analysis of pathophysiologic and psychologic processes and concepts that serve as the foundation for clinical assessment and pharmacological management of patients with common disease states across the lifespan. This course builds on the foundational concepts of basic anatomy and physiology and the clinical experiences in the medical surgical courses throughout the program. The student will interpret the results of diagnostic and laboratory tests used to diagnose and to monitor changes in selected pathophysiologic and psychologic conditions. The student is guided in assessing the influence of genetics, lifestyle, culture, gender, age, and economic status on the etiology and progression of selected pathophysiologic and psychologic alterations. In addition, current issues related to selected pathophysiologic and psychologic conditions are explored.
NURG5023FOUNDATIONS FOR CLINICAL NURSE LEADER ROLE
Credits (Min/Max): 4/4
As the first of the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) specialization courses, this course provides the student with foundational knowledge of the CNL role and core competencies. Principles of population health management are applied to cohorts of patients, while simultaneously addressing individual needs. This course requires 30 hours in the practicum setting.
YEAR ONE - SUMMER SEMESTER: 8 credits
NURG5012HEALTH POLICY AND GLOBAL CONSIDERATIONS
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This course focuses on healthcare policy in the United States and the related global health considerations. Students critically examine the national health care agenda and nurging's role in relation to the health of the nation, global health, and global health policy. Federal, state, and local political structure and function are examined along with the hierarchy of political involvement, interest groups and lobbyists, advocacy strategies, ethical issues and the public policy process. An overview of health care finance as it relates to health policy is presented and strategies to influence the regulatory process will be explored.
NURG5025CLINICAL NURSE LEADER PRACTICUM I
Credits (Min/Max): 5/5
This course provides the student the opportunity to apply theory in a practicum setting. Faculty and preceptor(s) provide guidance to the student for Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) role identification through experiences within a healthcare setting, where concepts from Foundations of the CNL Role are integrated in real-world opportunities. This course requires 150 hours in a practicum setting.
YEAR TWO - FALL SEMESTER: 7 credits
NURG5027ROLE OF THE CLINICAL NURSE LEADER IN HEALTHCARE MICROSYSTEMS
Credits (Min/Max): 4/4
This course provides a comprehensive analysis of the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) as the advanced generalist within the healthcare microsystem. The course focuses on integration of the Clinical Nurse Leader competencies. Application of evidence-based practice and effective management of quality data to optimize outcomes will be discussed. This course requires 45 hours in a practicum setting.
YEAR TWO - SPRING SEMESTER: 8 credits
NURG5029CLINICAL NURSE LEADER PRACTICUM II
Credits (Min/Max): 5/5
NURG6000CAPSTONE SCHOLARLY EXPERIENCE
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This second research course is designed to provide the student with the opportunity to apply theoretical concepts and skills from the research methodology course and graduate nursing courses to the development of a capstone research experience. The student is guided in the preparation of a project specific to a phenomena related to nursing practice in the area of graduate study. Emphasis is placed on responsible participation in scientific inquiry and on adherence to principles of ethical research.
PREREQUISITES:
Graduate Students Only & NURG5002