INTRODUCTION

by photostatic means, or in any other manner, without the express written

permission of the publisher.

American Association of Colleges of Nursing

Competencies and Curricular Expectations

for Clinical Nurse Leader

Education and Practice

October 2013

CLINICAL NURSE LEADER EXPERT PANEL

Pamela Abraham, MSN, RN, CNL

Clinical Nurse Leader

Hunterdon Medical Center

James Harris, DSN, RN, MBA,

APRN-BC

Professor & Director of CNL

Program

University of South Alabama

Marjorie M. Godfrey, PhD, RN

Co-Director, The Dartmouth Institute

Microsystem

Academy & Instructor,

The Dartmouth Institute for Health

Policy and Clinical Practice

Dartmouth Medical School

Nancy Hilton, MN, RN

Chief Nursing Officer

St. Lucie Medical Center

Lorraine R. Kaack, MS, RN, CNL

CNC Liaison

Clinical Nurse Leader

Bay Pines Veterans Affairs Health

System

Sandra Kuntz, PhD, RN

Associate Professor

Montana State University- Bozeman

Ellen T. Kurtzman, MPH, RN,

FAAN

Assistant Research Professor

School of Nursing

The George Washington University

Cathy Leahy, MSN, MEd, RN, CNL

Faculty, School of Nursing

Xavier University

Tammy Lee, MSN, RN, CNL

Clinical Nurse Leader Coordinator

Carolinas Medical Center

Nina Swan, MSN, RN, CMSRN,

CNL

CNLA Liaison

Nurse Manager

Maine Medical Center

Tricia Thomas, PhD, RN, CNL

Director, Nursing Practice &

Research

Trinity Health

Rita Vann, RN

Senior Vice President of Healthcare

Services

Brookdale Senior Living, Inc.

Joan Stanley, PhD, RN, FAAN,

FAANP, staff liaison

Senior Director of Education Policy

Karen S. Kesten, DNP, APRN,

CCRN, PCCN, CCNS, CNE, staff

liaison

Director of Educational Innovations

Horacio Oliveira, staff liaison

Education Policy and Special

Projects Coordinator

INTRODUCTION

The CNL® is a master’s educated nurse, prepared for practice across the continuum of care

within any healthcare setting in today’s changing healthcare environment. This document

delineates the entry-level competencies for all Clinical Nurse Leaders (CNLs). These CNL

competencies build on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) The Essentials

of Master’s Education in Nursing (2011).

AACN, representing baccalaureate and graduate schools of nursing, in collaboration with other

healthcare organizations and disciplines, first introduced the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) in

2003, the first new nursing role in over 35 years, to address the ardent call for change being heard

in the healthcare system. The competencies deemed necessary for the CNL originally were

delineated by the AACN Task Force on Education & Regulation II (TFERII) in the Working

Paper on the Clinical Nurse Leader. In 2007, the AACN Board of Directors approved the White

Paper on the Education and Role of the Clinical Nurse Leader. The White Paper provided the

background, rationale, and description of the CNL role and education as well as the expected

outcomes and competencies for all CNL graduates. The background, rationale, and description of

CNL practice as well as the assumptions for preparing the CNL remain particularly relevant;

therefore, the White Paper is included as an attachment to this document.

The competencies delineated here have been revised and updated to reflect CNL practice within

the changing healthcare environment. Therefore, these competencies replace the competencies in

the White Paper on the Education and Role of the Clinical Nurse Leader (February, 2007). In

addition to the CNL master’s level competencies, the Curriculum Framework and

Clinical/Practice Expectations for CNL programs are included. These components provide the

basis for the design and implementation of a master’s or post-master’s CNL education program

and prepare the graduate to sit for the Commission on Nurse Certification (CNC) CNL

Certification Examination.

CNL PRACTICE

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.

Fundamental aspects of CNL practice include:

 Clinical leadership for patient-care practices and delivery, including the design,

coordination, and evaluation of care for individuals, families, groups, and populations;

 Participation in identification and collection of care outcomes;

 Accountability for evaluation and improvement of point-of-care outcomes, including the

synthesis of data and other evidence to evaluate and achieve optimal outcomes;

 Risk anticipation for individuals and cohorts of patients;

 Lateral integration of care for individuals and cohorts of patients

 Design and implementation of evidence-based practice(s);

 Team leadership, management and collaboration with other health professional team

members;

 Information management or the use of information systems and technologies to improve

healthcare outcomes;

 Stewardship and leveraging of human, environmental, and material resources; and,

 Advocacy for patients, communities, and the health professional team.

COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

The Clinical Nurse Leader Competencies reflect a national consensus-based process. AACN

facilitated the process to develop these consensus-based competencies, including the work of the

national Expert Panel and external Validation Panel, both representing CNL education and

practice. In addition, the Expert Panel included representation from two national stakeholder

organizations: the Commission on Nurse Certification (CNC) and the Clinical Nurse Leader

Association (CNLA). The process used for this project models that previously used for the

development of the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Competencies in Specialty Areas: Adult,

Family, Gerontology, Pediatric, and Women’s Health (2002) as well as a number of other

nationally recognized nursing competencies.

The Expert Panel (see page 3) initially convened in April 2012 first via conference call and then

face-to-face at AACN headquarters in Washington, DC. During this meeting, the panel reviewed

relevant documents including the CNC Job Analysis results, AACN’s The Essentials of Master’s

Education in Nursing (2011), and the White Paper on the Education and Role of the Clinical

Nurse Leader (2007). After the face-to-face meeting, the Panel met electronically and by

conference call to review and discuss the competencies. By early summer 2013 the panel reached

consensus on the draft competencies and completed Phase I of the competency development

process. Phase II, the validation process, was conducted in July and August 2013.

A letter of invitation to participate in the validation process was sent to 150 individuals,

randomly selected from the CNL database. Invited individuals equally represented CNL

education (including faculty, program directors, and deans) and practice (including chief nursing

officers/nurse managers and practicing CNLs). Sixty-three individuals accepted the invitation

and participated in the validation review process. The Validation Panel representation included

CNOs, CNLs, faculty, and deans. Distribution and representation on the Validation Panel is

shown in Figure 1. The validation tool developed originally as part of the Health Resource and

Services Administration (HRSA) funded nurse practitioner primary care competencies project

(2002) was adapted to a SurveyMonkey online format. The Validation Panel was asked to

systematically review each CNL competency for relevance (i.e., is the competency necessary?)

and specificity (i.e., is the competency stated specifically and clearly? If not, provide suggested

revisions.) The Validation Panel also was asked to provide comment on the comprehensiveness

of the competencies.

The validation process demonstrated overwhelming consensus with the competencies and

provided valuable feedback for additional refinement. The Expert Panel met electronically four

times subsequent to this process to review the validation results, revise the competencies as

needed, and produce the final set of 82 competencies delineated in this document. Based on the

feedback from the Validation Panel, 14 competencies were deleted, one competency was added,

and 50 (61%) of the competencies underwent revision to enhance specificity or clarity. The

Expert Panel also reviewed Validation Panel responses regarding required clinical expectations

for CNL education programs and made final recommendations.

Figure 1: Validation Panel Composition

CNL CURRICULUM

The master’s nursing curriculum is conceptualized in Figure 1 and includes three components

(AACN, 2011, p. 7-8):

1. Graduate Nursing Core: foundational curriculum content deemed essential for all

students who pursue a master’s degree in nursing regardless of the functional focus.

2. Direct Care Core: essential content to provide direct patient services at an advanced

level.

3. Functional Area Content: those clinical and didactic learning experiences identified

and defined by the professional nursing organizations and certification bodies for

specific nursing roles or functions [CNL competencies and clinical expectations].

*All master’s degree programs that prepare graduates for roles that have a component of

direct care practice that includes the CNL are required to have graduate level

content/coursework in the following three areas: physiology/pathophysiology, health

assessment, and pharmacology. [Although not required, it is recommended that the CNL

curriculum include three separate graduate-level courses in these three content areas.

Having CNLs at the point of care with a strong background in these three areas is seen as

imperative from the practice perspective. In addition, the inclusion of these three separate

courses facilitates the transition of these master’s program graduates into DNP direct care

(advanced practice registered nurse) programs.]

+The competencies for the CNL role are delineated in this document.

Therefore, the three components comprising the master’s-level CNL curriculum include:

 Master’s Graduate Nursing Core: The outcomes delineated in The Essentials of Master’s

Education in Nursing.

 Direct Care Core: Graduate level content/coursework in physiology/pathophysiology,

health assessment, and pharmacology.

 CNL Role Competencies & Clinical Expectations: Delineated in this document.

These three components reflect the current knowledge base and scope of practice for entry-level

CNLs. As scientific knowledge expands and the healthcare system and practice evolve in

response to societal needs, CNL competencies and practice also will evolve. The periodic review

and updating of these competencies will ensure their currency and reflect these changes.

The CNL master’s curriculum is designed to make the graduate, if he/she chooses, eligible to

matriculate to a practice- or research-focused doctoral program immediately or in the near future.

It is recommended that graduate-level didactic and clinical coursework be designed to reduce

duplication and repetition between the master’s and doctoral-level coursework. This approach to

curriculum design will allow a more seamless transition to doctoral education and career

progression.

The preparation of the graduate for CNL practice assumes the previous or simultaneous

attainment of the competencies delineated in The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for

Professional Nursing Practice (AACN, 2008). Therefore, an entry-level/2

degree master’s

program preparing graduates with the CNL competencies and eligible to sit for CNL certification

is expected to ensure that graduates also have attained the Baccalaureate Essentials and are

prepared to sit for the national registered nurse licensure examination (NCLEX).

Table 1: Master’s Essentials and Clinical Nurse Leader Competencies

The Master’s Essentials and the Clinical Nurse Leader Competencies are included in this table to provide a comprehensive view of

expected outcomes of CNL education. In addition, the inclusion of both sets of expected outcomes should facilitate curriculum

development.

Essential 1: Background for Practice from Sciences and Humanities

Essential 1: The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing

Essential 1: CNL Competencies

1. Integrate nursing and related sciences into the delivery of

advanced nursing care to diverse populations.

2. Incorporate current and emerging genetic/genomic evidence in

providing advanced nursing care to individuals, families, and

communities while accounting for patient values and clinical

judgment.

3. Design nursing care for a clinical or community-focused

population based on biopsychosocial, public health, nursing, and

organizational sciences.

4. Apply ethical analysis and clinical reasoning to assess, intervene,

and evaluate advanced nursing care delivery.

5. Synthesize evidence for practice to determine appropriate

application of interventions across diverse populations.

6. Use quality processes and improvement science to evaluate care

and ensure patient safety for individuals and communities.

7. Integrate organizational science and informatics to make changes

1. Interpret patterns and trends in quantitative and qualitative

data to evaluate outcomes of care within a microsystem and

compare to other recognized benchmarks or outcomes, e.g.

national, regional, state, or institutional data.

2. Articulate delivery process, outcomes, and care trends

using a variety media and other communication methods to

the healthcare team and others.

3. Incorporate values of social justice to address healthcare

disparities and bridge cultural and linguistic barriers to

improve quality outcomes.

4. Integrate knowledge about social, political, economic,

environmental and historical issues into the analysis of and

potential solutions to professional and healthcare issues.

5. Apply concepts of improvement science and systems

theory.

in the care environment to improve health outcomes.

8. Analyze nursing history to expand thinking and provide a sense of

professional heritage and identity.

Essential 2: Organizational and Systems Leadership

Essential 2: The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing

Essential 2: CNL Competencies

1. Apply leadership skills and decision making in the provision of

culturally responsive, high-quality nursing care, healthcare team

coordination, and the oversight and accountability for care delivery

and outcomes.

2. Assume a leadership role in effectively implementing patient

safety and quality improvement initiatives within the context of the

interprofessional team using effective communication (scholarly

writing, speaking, and group interaction) skills.

3. Develop an understanding of how healthcare delivery systems are

organized and financed (and how this affects patient care) and

identify the economic, legal, and political factors that influence

health care.

4. Demonstrate the ability to use complexity science and systems

1. Demonstrate working knowledge of the healthcare system

and its component parts, including sites of care, delivery

models, payment models, and the roles of health care

professionals, patients, caregivers, and unlicensed

professionals.

2. Assume a leadership role of an interprofessional healthcare

team with a focus on the delivery of patient-centered care

and the evaluation of quality and cost-effectiveness across

the healthcare continuum.

3. Use systems theory in the assessment, design, delivery, and

evaluation of health care within complex organizations.

4. Demonstrate business and economic principles and

theory in the design, delivery, and evaluation of health care.

5. Apply business and economic principles and practices, including

budgeting, cost/benefit analysis, and marketing, to develop a

business plan.

6. Design and implement systems change strategies that improve the

care environment.

7. Participate in the design and implementation of new models of

care delivery and coordination.

practices, including cost-benefit analysis, budgeting,

strategic planning, human and other resource management,

marketing, and value-based purchasing.

5. Contribute to budget development at the microsystem level.

6. Evaluate the efficacy and utility of evidence-based care

delivery approaches and their outcomes at the microsystem

level.

7. Collaborate with healthcare professionals, including

physicians, advanced practice nurses, nurse managers and

others, to plan, implement and evaluate an improvement

opportunity.

8. Participate in a shared leadership team to make

recommendations for improvement at the micro-, meso- or

macro-system level.

Essential 3: Quality Improvement and Safety

Essential 3: The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing

Essential 3: CNL Competencies

1. Analyze information about quality initiatives recognizing the

contributions of individuals and inter-professional healthcare teams

to improve health outcomes across the continuum of care.

2. Implement evidence-based plans based on trend analysis and

quantify the impact on quality and safety.

3. Analyze information and design systems to sustain improvements

and promote transparency using high reliability and just culture

principles.

4. Compare and contrast several appropriate quality improvement

models.

5. Promote a professional environment that includes accountability

and high-level communication skills when involved in peer review,

advocacy for patients and families, reporting of errors, and

professional writing.

6. Contribute to the integration of healthcare services within

systems to affect safety and quality of care to improve patient

outcomes and reduce fragmentation of care.

7. Direct quality improvement methods to promote culturally

responsive, safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, and patient-

centered care.

8. Lead quality improvement initiatives that integrate socio-cultural

factors affecting the delivery of nursing and healthcare services.

1. Use performance measures to assess and improve the

delivery of evidence-based practices and promote outcomes

that demonstrate delivery of higher-value care.

2. Perform a comprehensive microsystem assessment to

provide the context for problem identification and action.

3. Use evidence to design and direct system improvements that

address trends in safety and quality.

4. Implement quality improvement strategies based on current

evidence, analytics, and risk anticipation.

5. Promote a culture of continuous quality improvement within

a system.

6. Apply just culture principles and the use of safety tools,

such as Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA) and root

cause analysis (RCA), to anticipate, intervene and decrease

risk.

7. Demonstrate professional and effective communication

skills, including verbal, non-verbal, written, and virtual

abilities.

8. Evaluate patient handoffs and transitions of care to improve

outcomes.

9. Evaluate medication reconciliation and administration

processes, to enhance the safe use of medications across the

continuum of care.

10. Demonstrate the ability to develop and present a business

plan, including a budget, for the implementation of a quality

improvement project/initiative.

11. Use a variety of datasets, such as Hospital Consumer

Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems

(HCAHPS), nurse sensitive indicators, National Data

Nursing Quality Improvement (NDNQI), and population

registries, appropriate for the patient population, setting, and

organization to assess individual and population risks and

care outcomes.

Essential 4: Translating and Integrating Scholarship into Practice

Essential 4: The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing

Essential 4: CNL Competencies

1. Integrate theory, evidence, clinical judgment, research, and

interprofessional perspectives using translational processes to

improve practice and associated health outcomes for patient

aggregates.

2. Advocate for the ethical conduct of research and translational

scholarship (with particular attention to the protection of the patient

as a research participant).

3. Articulate to a variety of audiences the evidence base for practice

decisions, including the credibility of sources of information and

1. Facilitate practice change based on best available evidence

that results in quality, safety and fiscally responsible

outcomes.

2. Ensure the inclusion of an ethical decision-making

framework for quality improvement.

3. Implement strategies for encouraging a culture of inquiry

within the healthcare delivery team.

4. Facilitate the process of retrieval, appraisal, and synthesis of

the relevance to the practice problem confronted.

4. Participate, leading when appropriate, in collaborative teams to

improve care outcomes and support policy changes through

knowledge generation, knowledge dissemination, and planning and

evaluating knowledge implementation.

5. Apply practice guidelines to improve practice and the care

environment.

6. Perform rigorous critique of evidence derived from databases to

generate meaningful evidence for nursing practice.

evidence in collaboration with healthcare team members,

including patients, to improve care outcomes.

5. Communicate to the interprofessional healthcare team,

patients, and caregivers current quality and safety guidelines

and nurse sensitive indicators, including the endorsement

and validation processes.

6. Apply improvement science theory and methods in

performance measurement and quality improvement

processes.

7. Lead change initiatives to decrease or eliminate

discrepancies between actual practices and identified

standards of care.

8. Disseminate changes in practice and improvements in care

outcomes to internal and external audiences.

9. Design care based on outcome analysis and evidence to

promote safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, and

patient-centered care.

Essential 5: Informatics and Healthcare Technologies

Essential 5: The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing

Essential 5: CNL Competencies

1. Analyze current and emerging technologies to support safe

practice environments, and to optimize patient safety, cost-

effectiveness, and health outcomes.

2. Evaluate outcome data using current communication

technologies, information systems, and statistical principles to

develop strategies to reduce risks and improve health outcomes.

3. Promote policies that incorporate ethical principles and standards

for the use of health and information technologies.

4. Provide oversight and guidance in the integration of technologies

to document patient care and improve patient outcomes.

5. Use information and communication technologies, resources, and

principles of learning to teach patients and others.

6. Use current and emerging technologies in the care environment

to support lifelong learning for self and others.

1. Use information technology, analytics, and evaluation

methods to:

a. collect or access appropriate and accurate data to

generate evidence for nursing practice;

b. provide input in the design of databases that generate

meaningful evidence for practice;

c. collaborate to analyze data from practice and system

performance;

d. design evidence-based interventions in collaboration

with the health professional team;

e. examine patterns of behavior and outcomes; and

f. identify gaps in evidence for practice

2. Implement the use of technologies to coordinate and

laterally integrate patient care within, across care settings

and among healthcare providers.

3. Analyze current and proposed use of patient-care

technologies, including their cost-effectiveness and

appropriateness in the design and delivery of care in diverse

care settings.

4. Use technologies and information systems to facilitate the

collection, analysis, and dissemination of data including

clinical, financial and operational outcomes.

5. Use information and communication technologies to

document patient care, advance patient education, and

enhance accessibility of care.

6. Participate in ongoing evaluation, implementation and

integration of healthcare technologies, including the

electronic health record (EHR).

7. Use a variety of technology modalities and media to

disseminate healthcare information and communicate

effectively with diverse audiences.

Essential 6: Health Policy and Advocacy

Essential 6: The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing

Essential 6: CNL Competencies

1. Analyze how policies influence the structure and financing of

health care, practice, and health outcomes.

2. Participate in the development and implementation of

institutional, local, and state and federal policy.

3. Examine the effect of legal and regulatory processes on nursing

practice, healthcare delivery, and outcomes.

4. Interpret research, bringing the nursing perspective, for policy

makers and stakeholders.

1. Describe the interaction between regulatory agency

requirements, (such as The Joint Commission (TJC),

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), or Healthcare

Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP)), quality, fiscal

and value-based indicators.

2. Articulate the contributions and synergies of the CNL with

other nursing and interprofessional team member roles, to

policy makers, employers, healthcare providers, consumers,

5. Advocate for policies that improve the health of the public and

the profession of nursing.

and other healthcare stakeholders.

3. Advocate for policies that leverage social change, promote

wellness, improve care outcomes, and reduce costs.

4. Advocate for the integration of the CNL within care

delivery systems, including new and evolving models of

care.

Essential 7: Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patient and Population Health Outcomes

Essential 7: The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing

Essential 7: CNL competencies

1. Advocate for the value and role of the professional nurse as

member and leader of interprofessional healthcare teams.

2. Understand other health professions’ scopes of practice to

maximize contributions within the healthcare team.

3. Employ collaborative strategies in the design, coordination, and

evaluation of patient-centered care.

4. Use effective communication strategies to develop, participate,

and lead interprofessional teams and partnerships.

5. Mentor and coach new and experienced nurses and other

members of the healthcare team.

6. Function as an effective group leader or member based on an in-

depth understanding of team dynamics and group processes.

1. Create an understanding and appreciation among healthcare

team members of similarities and differences in role

characteristics and contributions of nursing and other team

members.

2. Advocate for the value and role of the Clinical Nurse Leader

(CNL) as a leader and member of interprofessional

healthcare teams.

3. Facilitate collaborative, interprofessional approaches and

strategies in the design, coordination, and evaluation of

patient-centered care.

4. Facilitate the lateral integration of healthcare services across

the continuum of care with the overall objective of

influencing, achieving and sustaining high quality care.

5. Demonstrate a leadership role in enhancing group dynamics

and managing group conflicts.

6. Facilitate team decision making through the use of decision

tools and convergent and divergent group process skills,

such as SWOT, Pareto, and brainstorming.

7. Assume a leadership role, in collaboration with other

interprofessional team members, to facilitate transitions

across care settings to support patients and families and

reduce avoidable recidivism to improve care outcomes.

Essential 8: Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving Health

Essential 8: The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing

Essential 8: CNL Competencies

1. Synthesize broad ecological, global and social determinants of

health; principles of genetics and genomics; and epidemiologic data

to design and deliver evidence based, culturally relevant clinical

prevention interventions and strategies.

2. Evaluate the effectiveness of clinical prevention interventions

that affect individual and population-based health outcomes using

health information technology and data sources.

3. Design patient-centered and culturally responsive strategies in the

delivery of clinical prevention and health promotion interventions

and/or services to individuals, families, communities, and

aggregates/clinical populations.

1. Demonstrate the ability to engage the community and social

service delivery systems that recognize new models of care

and health services delivery.

2. Participate in the design, delivery, and evaluation of clinical

prevention and health promotion services that are patient-

centered and culturally appropriate.

3. Monitor the outcomes of comprehensive plans of care that

address the health promotion and disease prevention needs

of patient populations

4. Advance equitable and efficient prevention services, and promote

effective population-based health policy through the application of

nursing science and other scientific concepts.

5. Integrate clinical prevention and population health concepts in

the development of culturally relevant and linguistically appropriate

health education, communication strategies, and interventions.

4. Apply public health concepts to advance equitable and

efficient preventive services and policies that promote

population health

5. Engage in partnerships at multiple levels of the health

system to ensure effective coordination, delivery, and

evaluation of clinical prevention and health promotion

interventions and services across care environments.

6. Use epidemiological, social, ecological, and environmental

data from local, state, regional, and national sources to draw

inferences regarding the health risks and status of

populations, to promote and preserve health and healthy

lifestyles.

7. Use evidence in developing and implementing teaching and

coaching strategies to promote and preserve health and

healthy lifestyles in patient populations.

8. Provide leadership to the healthcare team to promote health,

facilitate self-care management, optimize patient

engagement and prevent future decline including

progression to higher levels of care and readmissions.

9. Assess organization-wide emergency preparedness plans

and the coordination with the local, regional, and National

Incident Management System (NIMS).

Essential 9: Master’s-Level Nursing Practice

Essential 9: The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing

Essential 9: CNL Competencies

1. Conduct a comprehensive and systematic assessment as a

foundation for decision making.

2. Apply the best available evidence from nursing and other

sciences as the foundation for practice.

3. Advocate for patients, families, caregivers, communities and

members of the healthcare team.

4. Use information and communication technologies to advance

patient education, enhance accessibility of care, analyze practice

patterns, and improve healthcare outcomes, including nurse

sensitive outcomes.

5. Use leadership skills to teach, coach, and mentor other members

of the healthcare team.

6. Use epidemiological, social, and environmental data in drawing

inferences regarding the health status of patient populations and

interventions to promote and preserve health and healthy lifestyles.

7. Use knowledge of illness and disease management to provide

evidence-based care to populations, perform risk assessments, and

design plans or programs of care.

8. Incorporate core scientific and ethical principles in identifying

potential and actual ethical issues arising from practice, including

the use of technologies, and in assisting patients and other

healthcare providers to address such issues.

1. Conduct a holistic assessment and comprehensive physical

examination of individuals across the lifespan.

2. Assess actual and anticipated health risks to individuals and

populations.

3. Demonstrate effective communication, collaboration, and

interpersonal relationships with members of the care delivery

team across the continuum of care.

4. Facilitate modification of nursing interventions based on risk

anticipation and other evidence to improve healthcare

outcomes.

5. Demonstrate the ability to coach, delegate, and supervise

healthcare team members in the performance of nursing

procedures and processes with a focus on safety and

competence.

6. Demonstrate stewardship, including an awareness of global

environmental, health, political, and geo-economic factors, in

the design of patient care.

7. Facilitate the lateral integration of evidence-based care across

settings and among care providers to promote quality, safe, and

coordinated care.

8. Facilitate transitions of care and safe handoffs between

9. Apply advanced knowledge of the effects of global

environmental, individual and population characteristics to the

design, implementation, and evaluation of care.

10. Employ knowledge and skills in economics, business principles,

and systems in the design, delivery, and evaluation of care.

11. Apply theories and evidence-based knowledge in leading, as

appropriate, the healthcare team to design, coordinate, and evaluate

the delivery of care.

12. Apply learning, and teaching principles to the design,

implementation, and evaluation of health education programs for

individuals or groups in a variety of settings.

13. Establish therapeutic relationships to negotiate patient-centered,

culturally appropriate, evidence-based goals and modalities of care.

14. Design strategies that promote lifelong learning of self and

peers and that incorporate professional nursing standards and

accountability for practice.

15. Integrate an evolving personal philosophy of nursing and

healthcare into one’s nursing practice.

healthcare settings, providers, and levels of care.

9. Evaluate the effectiveness of health teaching by self and others.

10. Facilitate the implementation of evidence-based and innovative

interventions and care strategies for diverse populations.

11. Design appropriate interventions using surveillance data and

infection control principles to limit healthcare acquired

infections (HAI) at all points of care.

12. Advocate for patients within the healthcare delivery system to

effect quality, safe, and value-based outcomes.

13. Collaborate in the development of community partnerships to

establish health promotion goals and implement strategies to

address those needs.

14. Evaluate the care of at risk populations across the lifespan by

identifying and implementing programs that address specialized

needs.

15. Engage individuals and families to make quality of life

decisions, including palliative and end-of-life decisions.

16. Assess an individual’s and group’s readiness and ability to

make decisions, develop, comprehend, and follow a plan of

care.

17. Assess the level of cultural awareness and sensitivity of

healthcare providers as a component of the evaluation of care

delivery.

18. Demonstrate coaching skills, including self-reflection, to

support new and experiences interdisciplinary team members in

exploring opportunities for improving care processes and

outcomes.

19. Use coaching techniques to assist individuals in developing

insights and skills to improve their current health status and

function.

Glossary:

Care Coordination: the deliberate organization of patient care activities among two or more participants, including the patient and/or the

family, to facilitate the appropriate delivery of health care services. (NTOCC, 2008)

Care Transitions: Transitions of Care refer to the movement of patients between health care locations, providers, or different levels of

care within the same location as their conditions and care needs change. (NTOCC, 2008)

CURRICULAR ELEMENTS & STRUCTURE

Master’s CNL Program Length

To prepare a CNL graduate with the necessary graduate-level content post attainment of the

baccalaureate competencies, it is recommended that the CNL graduate-level curriculum,

including the clinical immersion experience, be designed within an 18-month timeframe

depending upon the institution’s academic calendar (semesters or quarters.) Graduates of all

master’s degree CNL programs: post-baccalaureate, RN-MSN, and second-degree master’s

programs are expected to attain the master’s and CNL competencies delineated in this document.

Post-Master’s CNL Program

Post-master’s CNL programs prepare individuals who hold a master’s degree in nursing or

related field for CNL practice and to sit for the CNL certification exam. Post-master’s students

must successfully complete graduate didactic and clinical requirements of a master’s CNL

program through a formal graduate-level certificate or master’s level CNL program. Post-

master’s students are expected to master the same outcome competencies as master’s CNL

students, including the Essential master’s core competencies and the CNL competencies. In

addition, graduate level content or courses in pharmacotherapeutics, physiology/pathophysiology,

and health assessment is required. Post-master’s CNL students are required to complete a

minimum of 300 hours in a supervised clinical immersion practicum that provides the

opportunity to practice in the CNL role. Additional information on post-master’s program

expectations, including a list of the elements and content identified as critical to CNL preparation

and practice, as well as a sample form for completing an analysis or previous graduate

coursework, can be found in Statement on Post-Master’s CNL Certificate Program (AACN,

2009)

Clinical/Practice Expectations for the CNL Education Program

The CNL education program provides sufficient didactic and clinical experiences to prepare the

graduate with the competencies delineated in this document. It is expected that faculty assess the

types of experiences, patient populations and settings, and length of experiences afforded each

student to ensure that he/she is prepared to practice as a CNL with the knowledge, skills, and

abilities that are applicable across the continuum of care and in any setting where healthcare is

provided.

A variety of experiences should include opportunities to integrate the student’s new learning into

practice. The total number of clinical hours should be determined by the CNL program faculty.

However, each CNL student should complete a minimum of 400 clinical/practice hours as part of

the education program. In addition to the clinical/practice experiences integrated throughout the

education program, an extended practice immersion experience, prior to graduation, mentored by

an experienced CNL or other appropriate clinicians/professionals, is critical to the effective

integration of CNL practice into the healthcare delivery system. A minimum of 300 of the 400

total practice hours should be dedicated to the immersion experience(s).

The intensive immersion into CNL practice should provide the student with the opportunity to

practice in a chosen healthcare environment(s) and to integrate into one’s practice the knowledge,

skills, and attitudes (KSAs) acquired throughout the CNL education experience. The integrative

experience(s) should occur in a practice environment that allows for the full implementation of

CNL practice. In addition, a strong interprofessional practice focus should be embedded into the

experience. Ideally, the student should have the opportunity, either face-to-face or virtually, to be

precepted or mentored by an experienced CNL. The immersion may be completed in one setting

or in several settings with different preceptors depending upon the needs of the student. To

provide the opportunity for the student to more fully engage with an interprofessional team and

practice environment, and to implement new knowledge and skills into one’s practice, it is

recommended that the immersion experience(s) be designed over a 10- to 15-week period of

time. Practice is defined broadly as:

Any form of nursing intervention that influences health care outcomes for individuals or

populations, including the direct care of individual patients, management of care for

individuals and populations, administration of nursing and health care organization, and

the development and implementation of health policy. (AACN, 2004, p.2)

IMPORTANCE OF ACADEMIC PRACTICE PARTNERSHIPS

Academic/Practice Partnerships are an important mechanism to strengthen nursing

practice and help nurses become well positioned to lead change and advance health.

Through implementing such partnerships, both academic institutions and practice

settings will formally address the recommendations of the Future of Nursing Committee

(2011). Effective partnerships will create systems for nurses to achieve educational and

career advancement, prepare nurses of the future to practice and lead, provide

mechanisms for lifelong learning… (AACN, 2012, p.1)

Significant impact on the healthcare system and successful outcomes will not be realized unless

there is true partnership and collaboration between the education and practice arenas. Individuals

educated with the new CNL competencies will be more successful in effecting change and

improving care outcomes if the healthcare setting also has evolved. The rapid rate of change in

healthcare knowledge and practice requires collaboration and input from both academia and

practice. Therefore, schools of nursing developing a CNL program are strongly encouraged to

actively engage in developing and sustaining true Academic-Practice partnerships. Successful

change in both the practice environment and nursing education requires committed and active

partnerships between education and practice in nursing and with other health professions.

Improvement in health care outcomes, the ultimate goal, can only occur through meaningful and

dedicated partnerships and a willingness to commit significant resources and energy to realizing

this goal.

CNL CERTIFICATION

After successful completion of the formal CNL education program, including the total 400

practice hours with 300 hours of immersion in CNL practice, the CNL graduate will be eligible

to sit for the CNL Certification Examination offered by the Commission on Nurse Certification

(CNC), an autonomous arm of AACN. Students are encouraged to sit for the CNL Certification

Exam during their last term of a CNL master’s or post-master’s program or as soon after

graduation as possible. Program directors of students sitting for the exam in the last term must

attest that the student will have completed the required clinical and immersion hours prior to

graduation.

Individuals in entry-level/2

degree master’s programs that prepare the graduate with the CNL

competencies may sit for the CNL Certification Examination prior to sitting for the NCLEX

Registered Nurse (RN) licensure exam. However, a candidate will not be granted CNL

certification status until documentation of RN licensure is received by the CNC.

For additional information regarding CNL Certification go to http://www.aacn.nche.edu/cnl/cnc.

REFERENCES

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2004). Position Statement on the Practice

Doctorate in Nursing. Can be accessed at

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/publications/position/DNPpositionstatement.pdf.

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2008). The Essentials of Baccalaureate

Education for Professional Nursing Practice. Washington, DC: Author. Can be accessed at

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/education-resources/BaccEssentials08.pdf.

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2011). The Essentials of Master’s Education in

Nursing. Washington, DC: Author. Can be accessed at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/education-

resources/MastersEssentials11.pdf.

American Association of Colleges of Nursing & American Organization of Nurse Executives.

(2012). AACN-AONE Task Force on Academic Practice Partnerships Guiding Principles. Can

be accessed at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/leading-initiatives/academic-practice-

partnerships/GuidingPrinciples.pdf.

American Association of Colleges of Nursing CNL Steering Committee. (2009). Statement on

Post-Master’s CNL Certificate Program. Can be accessed at

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/cnl/pdf/Post-Masters-Certificate-Programs-Statement.pdf

Institute of Medicine. (2011). The Future of Nursing Leading Change, Advancing Health.

Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

National Transitions of Care Coalition. (2008). Improving Transitions of Care. Can be accessed

at http://www.ntocc.org/Portals/0/PDF/Resources/TransitionsOfCare_Measures.pdf.

INSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED ON CNL VALIDATION PANEL (N=53)

Carolinas Medical Center

Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare

System

Curry College

Federal Healthcare System

Georgia Regents University

Grand View University

Hunterdon Medical Center

Illinois State University

James Madison University

Jesse Brown VA Medical Center

MD Anderson Cancer Center

Mercy Health Saint Mary's

Morton Plant Mease Health Care

OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center

Otterbein University

Pacific Lutheran University

Queens University

Rush University

Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Saint Louis University

Saint Mary's Health Care

Seton Hall University

Sinai Hospital of Baltimore

South Dakota State University

South Texas Veterans Health Care System

Southern New Hampshire University

Spring Hill College

Texas Christian University

Texas Health Resources - Fort Worth

The University of Tennessee Health Science

Center

The University of Texas Health Science

Center at San Antonio

The University of Toledo

Trinity Health Saint Mary's

University of Alabama at Birmingham

University of Central Florida

University of Detroit Mercy

University of Florida

University of Maryland

University of Northern Colorado

University of Pittsburgh

University of San Diego

University of San Francisco

University of Toledo

University of Virginia

University of West Georgia

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

VA Boston Healthcare System

VA Connecticut Healthcare System

VA Palo Alto Health Care System

VA Philadelphia

VHA Network

WellStar Health System

Western New Mexico University

APPENDIX A

[Excerpts from the White Paper on the Education and Role of the Clinical Nurse

Leader (2007) are included here. These components of the White Paper are

considered historical and provide background information regarding the

development and early implementation of the CNL.]