A clinical nurse leader (CNL) must be a graduate from a high institution of learning, which implies that both undergraduate and post graduate degree education programs are important. In other words, for one to qualify as a CNL, they must be master's degree holders in the field of nursing.
This is due to the high level of knowledge and clinical competence that is required at the care unit. The two qualities would ensure that the nurse leader is resourceful to the rest of the members of the nurse team in terms of mentorship. The ability to communicate effectively with the juniors or patients and listen to ideas or problems is some of the other crucial qualities that a good clinical nurse leader should possess ( Bartels & Bednash, 2005).
It is the responsibility of a CNL to come up with ways that could be useful in the improvement of the quality of care given to patients at the hospital and at the same time, ensure that the other nurses are well equipped with the knowledge and skills that would see them doing well in the existing healthcare system.
Besides, these qualities would enable the nurses to swiftly adapt to changes in the system in future. Other roles of a CNL include: having patients' healthcare plans drafted and analyzing data to come up with practices based on reliable facts.
A CNL is perceived as an agent of change in a hospital. If a patient walks into a healthcare facility for instance, the CNL would ensure that he/she is attended to as fast as possible and as already mentioned earlier, the patient's healthcare plan would be drafted especially if they are diagnosed with a terminal illness.
In the community, there are forums such as workshops and other social gatherings where these leaders could enlighten the society about patient care (NE-BC, 2010).
References
Bartels, J. E., & Bednash, G. (2005). Answering the call for quality nursing care and patient safety: a new model for nursing education. Nursing administration quarterly, 29(1), 5-13.3.
NE-BC, C. N. L. (2010). Connecting nursing education and practice: A focus on shared goals for quality and safety. Creative Nursing, 16(1), 37.