The USF School of Nursing counts over 400 graduates of the Clinical Nurse Leader Master's Degree among our alumni, with many of these leaders forming part of the Bay Area workforce!
The Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) is a nursing role developed in response to the Institute of Medicine's 2000 Report, "To Err is Human." The CNL oversees the care coordination of a distinct group of patients and actively provides direct patient care in complex situations. This clinician puts evidence-based practice into action to ensure that patients benefit from the latest innovations in care delivery. The CNL collects and evaluates patient outcomes, assesses cohort risk, and has the decision-making authority to change care plans when necessary. This clinician 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.
