2013 CNL® Summit
January 17-19, 2013
Abstract Submission Form
Abstract title: Growing Our Own - Developing a Successful Professional, Personal and
Academic Mentoring Program for Clinical Nurse Leader Candidates
Authors & credentials: Virginia Bowman, MSN, RN, CNS, CNL
Institution: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
City/State: Houston, TX
Primary Contact Email: vbowman@mdanderson.org
Instructions: Please complete each of the following sections, when applicable. Each section
should contain between 50 and 250 words, using Times New Roman, 12 point font.
Background Information:
In a commitment to transforming the nursing care delivery model at a large, National Cancer
Institute (NCI)- designated Cancer Center in the Southwestern United States, 30 clinical nurses
have enrolled in Master’s Degree programs to become Clinical Nurse Leaders (CNL).
Partnership with two nursing schools in the region has provided continual insight into
opportunities for growth for the individuals preparing to assume this new clinical role. The most
significant opportunities include supporting a diverse student population through academic work,
enabling individuals to address the challenges of transition from clinical care to a defined
leadership position, and fostering appropriate work-life balance among these candidates. To
address these concerns and support the successful transition of these 30 CNL candidates, a
mentoring program was developed with the support of nursing leadership at this organization.
Aim:
The aim of this CNL mentoring program is to support the academic, professional and personal
growth of CNL candidates from the point of entry to a Master’s Degree program, through
educational and clinical integration, during and following transition to a certified CNL role. This
longitudinal initiative commits the resources of the institution to the successful mentoring of
these individuals as they progress in their training and entry into practice as CNLs.
Methods/Programs/Practices:
Utilizing work-life balance as a theoretical underpinning for this approach, a mentoring program
was developed by nursing administrators to identify and develop a support system for the CNL
candidates as they progressed through academic and professional training. This support occurred
across three domains: academic, professional, and personal. In the academic domain,
partnerships were formed between this institution and two nursing programs to foster
ADVANCING HIGHER EDUC ATION IN NURSING
One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 530 ∙ Washington, DC 20036 ∙ 202-463-6930 tel ∙ 202-785-8320 fax ∙
www.aacn.nche.edu
collaborative communication. Engaging in discussions with academic faculty allowed for
development of clinical immersion models that met both academic and professional needs.
Further, the students’ academic success was supported through paid time off twice a month. In
the professional domain, cohorts were formed to address topics on professional resources and
development in the workplace, as well as structured educational offerings in the work place to
support students’ clinical objectives. Professional development seminars were implemented to
allow CNL candidates to identify their strengths and opportunities for growth and how they
might engage others with an appreciation for the diversity of attributes embodied by their
respective teams. To address the personal domain, this institution designated staff members to
serve as mentors to the CNL candidates to foster professional and academic growth and to
evaluate strategies to promote work-life balance. The interventions across each domain often
overlap and combine collaboratively to support the achievement of successful, professional,
academic and personal growth among the CNL candidates.
Outcome Data
Currently, 12 CNL candidates have progressed to academic clinical immersion on their
respective units with scheduled graduation in December 2012. An additional 18 CNL candidates
are enrolled in academic preparation at this time. Significant insights into the effectiveness of
the mentoring program have been obtained through individual candidate feedback, evaluations of
educations offerings, mentor feedback, and reflective journaling. These outcomes will be
presented in detail.
Conclusion:
Commitment to the successful training of CNL candidates requires attention to the
professional, academic and personal components that influence their development
as clinical leaders. Developing a mentoring program that successfully identifies
and addresses these components may contribute not only to improved work-life
balance among CNL candidates, but to greater success throughout their integration
into the CNL role. While such a program requires a significant commitment of
resources from an institution looking to develop CNLs within their own
organization, suggestions from this program can be adapted in a variety of ways
commensurate with the available resources of individual institutions.
AACN Call for Abstracts, 2013 CNL Summit
2