Clinical Nurse Leader
The Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) is a new role in nursing. The CNL program prepares professional nurses as advanced generalists who are experts at the point of care.
Clinical Nurse Leader Program Information
The Clinical Nurse Leader has multiple roles in healthcare including:
- Clinical Practice
- Outcomes Manager
- Patient Advocate
- Educator
- Information Manager
- Systems Analyst/Risk Anticipator
- Team Leader
The Clinical Nurse Leader curriculum can be completed in three semesters post-baccalaureate and consists of course work that address each of the areas cited above as well as immersion clinical experiences to assist learners in adapting to the role. All courses are online and clinical can be arranged in your own community (in most cases). The interactive online classroom provides opportunities for active learning, discussion, problem solving, debating, critical thinking, research, networking, and community building.
The CNL program does not require completion of a certification exam for program completion nor upon graduation.
BSN-MSN students complete MSN core and MSN specialty courses for a total of 36 credit hours. The MSN degree must be completed within five years of matriculation.
| Curriculum |
|---|
| Support Courses |
| NU 518 - Advanced Nursing Assessment 3 credit hours |
| NU 545 - Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing 3 credit hours |
| NU 578 - Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses 3 credit hours |
| MSN Core Courses |
| NU 607 - Scientific Underpinnings of Advanced Nursing Practice 3 credit hours |
| NU 608 - Evidence-Based Practice and Quality Improvement in Healthcare 3 credit hours |
| NU 610 - Healthcare Policy and Finance 3 credit hours |
| NU 613 - Organizational & Systems Leadership 3 credit hours |
| Clinical Nurse Leader Specialty Courses |
| NU 535 - Clinical Nurse Leader Role & Competencies 3 credit hours |
| NU 536 - Clinical Nurse Leader Practicum I - 300 Clinical Hours 5 credit hours |
| NU 537 - Clinical Nurse Leader Synthesis 3 credit hours |
| NU 538 - Clinical Nurse Leader Practicum II - 240 Clinical Hours 4 credit hours |
| RN to MSN students who are registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in a non-nursing discipline must also complete the following courses. |
| RN-MSN Courses |
| NU 506 - Evidence-Based Practice & Informatics for Professional Nurses 4 credit hours |
| NU 507 - Leadership & Management Roles for Professional Nurses 4 credit hours |
| NU 508 - Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Professional Nurses 4 credit hours |
Contacts
Please feel free to contact Dr. James Harris for more information about this specialty: jameslharris@southalabama.edu.