What is a Clinical Nurse Leader?: Roles, Skills, Salary, and More

During the last two years, the role of medical professionals in general and nurses in particular, has become more prominent. With new needs in the medical field, new nursing positions are required. 

This is precisely the case with the Clinical Nurse Leader position. This medical designation is relatively new; it was established in 2004 by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). And since then, it has grown at an exponential rate. According to the AACN, 84 certified CNLs were practicing in the United States in 2006, and by 2020 there were 8,175 new positions, meaning that there was a nearly 10,000 percent increase.

What is a Clinical Nurse Leader?

At this point, you may be wondering what is a clinical nurse leader? A clinical nurse leader (CNL) is a master's level educated nurse responsible for taking on high-level leadership roles and improving the quality of care for a specific set of patients in their healthcare facilities. In addition to managing other nursing staff and serving as a valuable resource to the entire care team, the clinical nurse leader has advanced general medical knowledge instead of one primary discipline.

Clinical nurse leaders work together with teams of physicians, social workers, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists to collect and evaluate treatment results and improve such outcomes by promoting evidence-based change.

What Does a CNL Nurse Do?

A clinical nurse leader is a healthcare delivery leader in all settings, not just acute care. A CNL implements evidence-based practice to ensure that patients benefit from the most recent innovations in the healthcare system. A CNL nurse oversees the lateral integration of care for a specific group of patients and may actively provide direct patient care. 

Moreover, the CNL nurse gathers and evaluates patient outcomes, analyzes cohort risk, and makes decisions to change care plans as needed. This clinician collaborates with other healthcare professionals, such as physicians, social workers, pharmacists, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse practitioners, to plan and implement care as part of an effective interprofessional team.

Some of the day-to-day job responsibilities of a clinical nurse leader are:

• Developing and implementing evidence-based solutions to improve care and patient outcomes by collecting and evaluating treatment results;

• Performing risk assessments and ensuring the safety of patients;

• Ensuring cost-effective care and eliminating inefficiencies;

• Maintaining up-to-date and current knowledge of relevant research to ensure that patients receive the best possible care;

• Serving as a generalized knowledge resource for the entire care team and managing nursing staff regularly;

• Continuously providing direct patient care and patient education;

• .Ensuring that each patient in a unit receives the best possible care.

Where Do CNL Nurses Work?

Clinical nurses leaders can work in various medical settings, including hospitals, private clinics, research facilities, acute care institutions, home health agencies, community health centers, and more.

In addition, clinical nurse leaders can contribute to medical schools, developing and implementing various educational programs exclusively designed to improve patient care quality.

How Much Does a Clinical Nurse Leader Make?

The median wage of CNLs varies on their level of education, the work setting, or the geographical area where they work. Clinical nurse leaders made a median salary of just under $92,946 per year in 2021 or about $44 per hour. Salary ranged from around $84,575 per year to approximately $106,051 per year, not including benefits.

The major metro areas of the United States pay clinical nurse leaders as follows:

• San Francisco, California - $116,182 annually

• New York City, New York - $111,814 annually

• Boston, Massachusetts - $104,722 annually

• Chicago, Illinois - $98,605 annually

• Washington, D.C. - $103,467 annually

• Dallas, Texas - $92,341 annually

• Miami, Florida - $90,483 annually

What is the job outlook for CNL nurses?

CNLs play an essential role in the nursing profession. The role of the CNL is expected to become even more critical as healthcare evolves.

Healthcare is becoming even more complicated as new information and technology become available. Furthermore, it isn't just treatments that are becoming more difficult. Over the last years, there has been an increasing number of people affected with chronic conditions. Several chronic conditions frequently require the involvement of multiple medical professionals. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the employment rate of registered nurses will grow by 9% from 2020 to 2030, and about 194,500 openings for registered nurses are projected each year, over the decade, with many of them being CNLs.

Essential Qualities of Clinical Nurse Leaders

The position of a clinical nurse leader requires some essential qualities to have to become successful in this field. As the word implies, clinical nurse leaders have a leading role, and for this reason, CNL nurses should be great motivators for those around them to lead everyone to be productive and do their job correctly.

In addition, emotional intelligence, communication skills, professional socialization, accountability, and the ability to give and receive constructive criticism are all skills that make an excellent clinical nurse leader. 

The Path to Becoming a CNL Nurse

The pathway to becoming a Clinical Nurse Leader differs significantly from other nursing careers. Individuals pursuing a CNL degree begin by mastering content in different medical areas such as anatomy, epidemiology, microbiology, and statistics at the undergraduate level. They focus on quality improvement, effective interprofessional care, evidence-based practice, policy, and organization in their Master's studies.

Become a registered nurse

CNLs must have a strong understanding of medicine because they coordinate the care of patients under their supervision and serve as a resource for other members of the nursing team. As a result, all CNLs have to begin their careers as registered nurses first.

The easiest path to becoming a registered nurse is obtaining an associate's degree in nursing. Such a degree would be efficient if you would stop your academic progression at that point. However, suppose you are looking to advance your medical career eventually. In that case, it is recommended to get a bachelor's degree since that would make it easier for you to obtain your Master's degree when needed. 

There are various ways to obtain a bachelor's degree. You can pursue a traditional four-year BSN, an RN-to-BS program, or an accelerated nursing program if you already have a bachelor's degree in a field other than nursing. After earning a bachelor's degree in nursing, you'll need to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). This exam assesses your knowledge of crucial nursing topics. After passing the exam, you'll be able to apply for state licensure in the state where you want to practice. 

Interested in pursuing an RN degree in California?

Fill out the form and get all the detailed information you need regarding your chosen program.

First Name

Email

Phone

City *

Select Program Select Program Vocational Nurse Associate of Science Family Nurse Practitioner Master of Science Bachelor Business Administration Degree Bachelor In Healthcare Administration Registered Nursing Associate Of Science RN-to-BSN Bachelor Of Science Life Science Courses

Preferred Location * Preferred Location * Costa Mesa Commerce Ontario Online

Thank you!

Get a master's degree or higher

As mentioned previously, before pursuing a career as a CNL nurse, aspiring CNLs will work as registered nurses. This allows them to put their education into practice, gain experience, and improve their caregiving abilities. However, earning a master's degree (MSN) in a certified clinical nurse leader program is required to become a CNL.

An MSN program is beneficial in many aspects. During this program, you will learn how to manage the needs of your patients, which will allow you to advance your clinical skills. Moreover, you will learn about healthcare models, patient care, risk assessment, medical outcomes, data analysis, and information and systems management to enhance healthcare and nursing leadership skills. The skills and knowledge acquired will allow you to become a teacher or mentor and even collaborate with other medical personnel.

A clinical nurse leadership program, in essence, will provide education in medicine that focuses on both evidence-based practice and research as well as strategic leadership thinking.

Pass the AACN clinical nurse leader certification exam

The final stage in becoming a clinical nurse leader is to take the AACN's clinical nurse leader exam and earn CNL certification. After completing the educational program and completing clinical hours, CNL candidates can take the AACN Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) Certification exam.

The exam consists of 140 multiple-choice questions and case studies from recent years, and it is graded on a pass/fail basis. Nursing leadership, clinical outcome management, and care environment management are the three main components of the CNL certification exam. Once you pass the CNL exam, you'll be able to work as a clinical nurse leader. As a CNL nurse, you must renew your certifications every five years.

What next? Continuing education requirements for CNLs

You're not out of the woods as far as education goes once you've earned your nursing degree and passed the National Council Licensure Exam. Nursing is an ever-changing career, and to provide the best care to your patients, you must be a lifelong learner. As a result, most states require continuing education (C.E.) to keep your nursing license current, ensuring that you stay current with nursing best practices.

C.E. must be designed and delivered by qualified organizations to qualify as continuing education for nurses. Professional associations, nursing schools, course directories, and peer-reviewed publications are good places to look for C.E. opportunities. Your work focus and career objectives determine the best C.E. for you. 

How Long Does It Take to Become a Clinical Nurse Leader?

Usually, the entire timeline expected for becoming a Clinical Nurse Leader is around seven to eight years. This period includes typically earning the necessary education, certifications, and clinical hours to work as a CNL.

However, each individual's career pathway is different. The time to become a clinical nurse leader can be highly influenced by the current educational path, nursing experience, and work location. 

Final Thoughts

Leveling up your career is always a great idea regardless of the field of your study. Many registered nurses advance and become clinical nurse leaders in the medical field since this position brings a new set of skills, more responsibilities, and better payment. This career advancement is worth it since it brings numerous benefits to the medical professional.