Advancing the clinical nurse leader model through academic-practice-policy partnership.

The nursing profession is tasked with identifying and evaluating models of care with potential to add value to health care delivery. In consideration of this goal, we describe the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) initiative and the activities of a national-level CNL research collaborative. The CNL initiative, launched by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in collaboration with education and healthcare leaders, has delineated CNL education curriculum and practice competencies, and fostered the creation of academic-practice-policy partnerships to pilot CNL integration into frontline nursing care delivery. The partnership has evolved into an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality affiliate practice-based research network, the CNL Research Collaborative, which links research, policy, education, and practice stakeholders to advance the CNL evidence base. We summarize foundational CNLRC research to explain CNL practice, quantify CNL effectiveness, and bring clarity to how CNLs can be implemented to consistently influence care, quality, and safety.

Developing the Clinical Nurse Leader Survey Instrument: A Modified Delphi Study.

Clinical nurse leader (CNL)-integrated care delivery is an emerging nursing model, with growing adoption in diverse health systems. To generate a robust evidence base for this promising nursing model, it is necessary to measure CNL practice to explicitly link it to observed quality and safety outcome improvements. This study used a modified Delphi approach with an expert CNL panel to develop and test the face, content, and construct validity of the CNL Practice Survey instrument.

Safety and efficacy of a pharmaco-invasive reperfusion strategy in rural ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients with expected delays due to long-distance transfers.

AIMS: To determine the safety and efficacy of a pharmaco-invasive reperfusion strategy utilizing half-dose fibrinolysis combined with transfer for immediate percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients presenting to remote rural hospitals. Primary PCI is preferred for STEMI if performed in a timely manner. However, <20% of STEMI patients transferred for PCI in the USA have door-to-balloon times <2 h. METHODS AND RESULTS: Prospective data from the Level 1 MI programme were analysed. All STEMI patients presenting to the Minneapolis Heart Institute or 31 referral hospitals received aspirin, clopidogrel, and unfractionated heparin (UFH) at the presenting hospital and those presenting to hospitals ≥60 miles away also received half-dose fibrinolytic with transfer for immediate PCI. From April 2003 through December 2009, we enrolled 2634 consecutive STEMI patients in the Level 1 MI database including 660 transferred from remote hospitals utilizing pharmaco-invasive therapy and 600 patients who presented directly to the PCI centre. There were no significant differences in 30-day mortality (5.5 vs. 5.6%; P= 0.94), stroke (1.1 vs. 1.3%; P= 0.66) or major bleeding (1.5 vs. 1.8%; P= 0.65), or re-infarction/ischaemia (1.2 vs. 2.5%; P= 0.088) in patients receiving a pharmaco-invasive strategy compared with patients presenting directly to the PCI centre, despite a significantly longer door-to-balloon time. CONCLUSION: Within a regional STEMI system of care, half-dose fibrinolysis combined with immediate transfer for PCI may be a safe and effective option for STEMI patients with expected delays due to long-distance transfer.

The Clinical Nurse Leader: impact on practice outcomes in the Veterans Health Administration.

The Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) role was designed to meet an identified need for expert clinical leadership at the point of care. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) became early adopters of the CNL role, foreseeing the value of this pivotal clinical leader at the point of care to meet the complex health care needs of America's veterans and shape health care delivery. Impact data were collected and assimilated from seven Veterans Administration Medical Centers to support how CNLs impact the delivery of quality and safe patient care and how practice changes could be sustained. Data collection and analyses resulted in many lessons learned. The new CNL role was implemented in a variety of settings in the VHA system. Integration of the CNL role in all areas of practice in every care setting has the promise of streamlining coordination of care for veterans across all spectrums in the provision of care.