CLINICAL NURSE LEADERS

Clinical Nurse Leaders as Agents of Change



Clinical Nurse Leaders as Agents of Change

Introduction

Nursing education and the profession have an unparalleled opportunity and capability to address the critical issues that face the nation's current health care system. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), representing baccalaureate and graduate schools of nursing, in collaboration with other health care organizations and disciplines, proposes a new Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) role to address the ardent call for change being heard in today's health care system.

It is evident that leadership in nursing is of utmost importance at this time. Nursing has faced many critical situations in its long history, but probably none more critical than the situation it is now in, and none in which the possibilities, both of serious loss and substantial advance, are greater. What the outcome will be depends in large measure on the leadership the nursing profession can give in planning for the future and in solving stubborn and perplexing problems. If experience is any criterion, little constructive action will be taken without intelligent and courageous leadership.

As health care moves through massive change, the need has become particularly acute to develop leadership at all levels of nursing. This imperative to develop leadership is urgently called for by many and described as needed to: (a) influence sweeping reforms of health care, (b) work within flattened management hierarchies, (c) maintain viability of the profession, (d) improve the quality of care within clinical Microsystems (e) coordinate care for patients in increasingly complex health care systems and (f) intervene to prevent patient harm from medical errors. In order to be the most effective in providing care, each nurse is expected to utilize effective leadership skills in carrying out nursing work at the staff nurse level.

Leadership in the Clinical Nurse Leader Role

The development of casual staff nurse leadership is significant for nurses and their stakeholder. In some part, due to the groundbreaking To Err is Human from the Institute of Medicine, staff nurse leadership at the bedside may be the critical link to fuel the seminal changes required to achieve quality care across health care settings. In order for the profession to remain viable, it must change and evolve.

Professional growth of individual staff nurses, enhanced patient outcomes, and better functioning health care organizations may be the results once staff nurse leadership is understood and actualized. Indeed, the leadership capability of staff nurses, yet untapped, is potentially the link to revitalizing the profession and fulfilling the expectations of stakeholder in 21st century healthcare (Stewart, 2003).

The nursing profession and the healthcare industry as a whole are becoming ever more aware of the need for staff nurses, to be equipped with leadership skills and be able to practice as leaders at the point of care. However, as noted, nurses have conflicting views of themselves as leaders, both rating themselves low on leadership self-image and rating themselves significantly higher on leadership than they believe the public perceives them in reported ...