NULD - Clinical Nurse Leader (NULD)

This course explores the history of nursing leadership to the present with emphasis on the evolution of healthcare and healthcare delivery, and an introduction to systems theory. Leadership is defined as it applies to both micro and macro systems. The interdisciplinary work of the CNL is emphasized.

This course provides a conceptual, integrative approach to view and examine pathophysiological phenomena that will serve to focus on clinical problems encountered across disease or illness categories. The pathophysiological phenomena are those for which nurses assume a major role in assessing, monitoring, evaluating, and managing. Concentration is on mechanisms and pathological consequence of each phenomenon.

This course focuses on the role of the nurse in pharmacological therapy and considers sociocultural, economic, and technologic changes in the safe administration of prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, and herbal therapy. Drug categories, including prototypes related to each body system will be studied. Emphasis is on developing the knowledge and critical thinking skills needed to formulate and implement plans of care for clients receiving pharmacological therapy in acute care, critical care, and community settings.

This course is an intensive clinical experience supervised by a professional nurse preceptor. The experience allows for full implementation of the clinical nurse leader competencies and includes a strong interdisciplinary practice focus. Seminars will be scheduled with faculty to discuss clinical progress and issues. A capstone project is required and will be presented at the end of the course. Prerequisite: CNL Fifth semester courses.