subject: Nurses With The Need To Lead: The Msn-cnl Nursing Career Is Made For You [print this page] Are you a nurse with a desire to really get in the trenches with regards to patient care? Then you may want to look into earning you Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) designation.
You'll need a masters degree nursing to eventually earn the CNL certificate. But a handful of nursing programs at Los Angeles graduate nursing schools offer a MSN-CNL curriculum that will allow RNs with a bachelor's degree the opportunity to earn a master's degree in nursing with the CNL certification.
The CNL is a relatively new role for those pursuing a nursing career. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) describes the Clinical Nurse Leader as a "new nursing role," one that will improve the quality of patient care while better preparing nurses to thrive in today's -- and tomorrow's -- health care system.
The AACN says the CNL "emerged" from research and discussion with stakeholders in health care and the nursing profession as a way to "engage highly skilled clinicians in outcomes-based practice and quality improvement."
Pursue a masters degree nursing with CNL certification and you'll find yourself expanding your nursing career and providing patient care in complex situations. You'll be evaluating patient outcomes, will be making decisions to change patient care plans as you deem necessary, you'll assess cohort risk.
If you desire a leadership role, the MSN-CNL will prepare you to become a leader in the health care system of today. You'll be able to put evidence-based practice into action so that your patients will benefit from the latest innovations in health care delivery.
Many masters degree nursing programs at colleges and universities around the country offer working nurses the opportunity to study for an MSN-CNL via fully or partially online programs. This means you'll be able to earn your advanced nursing degree while still working. You'll be able to study at the time and place agreeable to your needs, not the program's.
In addition, since you'll still be working as a nurse while you're pursuing your degree, you'll immediately be able to take your new knowledge to your work, helping your patients even more. The benefit to your patients will only grow as you pursue your studies. And, once you've earned your MSN-CNL certificate, career avenues you only once could have dreamed about will open for you. Your patients, as well as yourself, will benefit greatly from your pursuit of this advanced nursing credential, the MSN-Clinical Nurse Leader certificate.