The Task Force on Education and Regulation for Nursing Practice #2 is pleased to present a Working Paper on the Role of the Clinical Nurse Leader. AACN, in collaboration with a broad array of leaders from the practice environment, is calling for the creation of a new nursing role to better meet client care needs within the health care delivery system. Participants at the recent Stakeholders' Reaction Panel Meeting confirmed that this role has emerged and is being further developed on an ad hoc basis. Individuals to fill this role are being recruited opportunistically based on available clinicians with appropriate experience, personal characteristics, and self-selection. Stakeholders affirmed the need to produce these clinicians through a formal degree-granting program of education.

The New Nurse is a leader in the health care delivery system across all settings in which health care is delivered, not just the acute care setting. The implementation of this role, however, will vary across settings. The New Nurse role is not one of administration or management. The New Nurse assumes accountability for client care outcomes through the assimilation and application of research-based information to design, implement, and evaluate client plans of care. This clinician is a provider and a manager of care at the point of care to individuals and cohorts or populations. The New Nurse designs, implements, and evaluates client care by coordinating, delegating and supervising the care provided by the health care team, including licensed nurses, technicians, and other health professionals.

The Role of the Clinical Nurse Leader is a working paper. Any questions about this document should be emailed to Dr. Joan Stanley, AACN Director of Education Policy, at jstanley@aacn.nche.edu.

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