Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL)

The focus of the master’s nursing program is the clinical nurse leader (C.N.L.). The graduate program prepares the nurse to function as an advanced generalist at the master’s level. The C.N.L. provides leadership for the nursing care of clients at the point of care. A broad based graduate education prepares the C.N.L. to oversee the care coordination of a distinct group of clients—individuals, families, or populations. The curriculum is designed to develop clinically competent C.N.L.s who direct care at the point of service and are able to put evidence-based practice into action to ensure that clients benefit from the latest innovations in care delivery. Emphasis is on the collection and evaluation of client outcomes, assessment of cohort risk, and use of decision-making authority to make change to support quality and safety. The C.N.L. functions as part of an interdisciplinary team by communicating, planning, and implementing care directly with other health care professionals, including physicians, pharmacists, social workers, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse practitioners.

The program incorporates professional standards and guidelines from the Essentials of Master’s Education for Advanced Practice Nursing (AACN, 2011) and the End-of-Program Competencies & Required Clinical Experiences for the Clinical Nurse Leader (AACN, 2006) in preparation of the curriculum and evaluation of outcomes. The C.N.L. program includes 500 hours of clinical experience.

The C.N.L. project is designed for the student to meet multiple AACN C.N.L. end-of-program competencies, including but not limited to clinician, educator, risk anticipator, and team manager. The project is designed to facilitate evidence-based organizational change identified through a systematic assessment of the microsystem. Projects integrate best practices, principles of effective leadership and negotiation skills, use of information systems to evaluate patient outcomes, and theories of organizational behavior in the design of their project. Examples of student projects may include evaluating and/or modifying current practice standards, increasing clinical application of evidence-based interventions, or adapting or designing a research based intervention. Students will develop, implement and evaluate the C.N.L. project in the three clinical courses (NRS 593, NRS 595 and NRS 596).

C.N.L. Goals and Program Outcomes

The goals and outcomes of the C.N.L. program reflect the mission of the School of Nursing with the focus on providing and managing quality and effective care at the point of care to individuals, clinical populations and communities. The goals, competencies, and outcomes are in alignment with professional nursing standards and guidelines.

The goals and outcomes of the C.N.L. program are to graduate advanced generalist nurses who:

1. Demonstrate leadership in the healthcare delivery system by effecting change through knowledge, advocacy and effective communication to achieve quality client outcomes and lateral integration of care for a cohort of clients;
2. Practice as care environment managers delegating and effectively using systems assessment, nursing, and interdisciplinary team resources and information systems and technology to improve health care outcomes, quality and safety at the point of care;
3. Manage clinical outcomes for a group of patients through advanced nursing practice utilizing designed care, evidence-based guidelines, and quality care standards, and use of best practices to facilitate client and provider teaching and learning.

C.N.L. Admission Requirements

1. Bachelor of science in nursing degree from a school of nursing accredited by an appropriate national nursing accrediting body; or completion of alternate entry master’s at the University of Portland (AEM UP) program pre-licensure component.
2. Cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 or above.
3. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) verbal score of 150 or above (500 or above if exam was completed prior to August 1, 2011) and an analytical writing score of 3.5 or above; or a score of 50 or greater on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT).
4. TOEFL iBT score of 100 or a IELTS score of 7.5 if native language is not English.
5. Current R.N. license to practice nursing in state of residence. R.N. licensure in Oregon is encouraged. Additional costs may be incurred for clinical placements outside of Oregon.  Please note: Admitted students are expected to be employed or volunteering as a RN by the end of the second semester in the program (by the end of year 1, fall semester). 
6. A written statement of personal nursing philosophy.
7. A 500-word statement that describes how becoming a C.N.L. will help achieve personal and professional goals.
8. Two recommendations from persons able to evaluate current and potential competency in nursing, preferably at least one from a recent employer.
9. A college-level statistics course.
10. Ability to use a PC for word processing, e-mail, and Internet.
11. Current résumé.
12. An interview upon request.

Total Credit Hours: 42

Total credit hours includes 500 clinical hours.