Clinical Nurse Leader Job Description Template

A clinical nurse leader (CNL), sometimes referred to as a clinical lead nurse, is a master’s-educated RN who oversees patient care. These specialized nurses lead quality improvement initiatives and collaborate with other care providers to optimize patient outcomes. If you’re looking to hire a CNL, developing a tailored clinical nurse leader job description can help you find the perfect candidate for the job.

In this sample CNL job description template, we’ll highlight important duties, skills, and educational requirements. We’ll also provide you with strategies to help your job posting stand out among the competition.

Before advertising your job vacancy, be sure to conduct market research on the clinical nurse leader job market. You can browse CNL jobs on our healthcare hiring board to ensure your company’s clinical nurse leader salary, benefits package, and scheduling requirements meet industry standards.

Next, you’ll need to prepare a list of clinical nurse leader interview questions to help you rank candidates and identify those who are best suited for the position. Once you’ve completed these tasks, you’ll be well positioned to create a quality job description that attracts top nursing talent to join your team.

Clinical Nurse Leader

Tips: At the beginning of your CNL job description, it’s important to introduce the basics of your position while highlighting your organization’s mission, vision, and values. Candidates may be curious: What level of clinical experience are you looking for? What type of care setting will I be working within?

Whether you’re hiring for a long-term care facility or a hospital, clinical nurse leader job descriptions should provide early answers to these basic questions, encouraging potential applicants to continue reading. Once you’ve clarified the key aspects of the role, mention any awards or accolades to help showcase your facility’s patient outcomes, care quality, and staff satisfaction. This can attract the attention of nurses who are looking to join a collaborative team that clearly prioritizes excellent patient care.

Template:

Here at [facility name], we’re looking to hire an experienced clinical nurse leader (CNL) to work in our cardiac care unit (CCU). In this role, you will collaborate with bedside nurses and care coordinators to ensure our patients receive the exceptional care they deserve.

We pride ourselves on being “The Nation’s #1 Hospital for Cardiac Surgery” and recognize that supporting and empowering our clinical team is the key to providing high-quality care. We’re proud to offer competitive salaries, well-rounded benefits, and scheduling that promotes real work-life balance. If this sounds like a position you’d be interested in, continue reading below as we outline our CNL job duties, expectations, and degree requirements.

Benefits

Tips: In this section of your clinical lead nurse job description, you’ll want to highlight the perks of working for your organization. Start by listing financial and lifestyle benefits that contribute to a better work-life balance. Then, outline any professional development opportunities your company offers to attract clinical care leader candidates who may be looking to build their nursing career.

Template:

• Competitive pay
• Health, dental, and vision benefits
• FSA/HSA options
• Paid vacation and holidays, family leave, sick time
• 401(k) matching and access to our pension program
• $5,000 annual tuition reimbursement
• Subsidized public transportation
• Discounts for local restaurants, gyms, and amusement parks
• Paid continuing education credits

Duties and Responsibilities

Tips: Here, you’ll want to give candidates a better feel for what it’s like to work as a CNL in your organization. Compile a summative list that clearly differentiates the expectations associated with this leadership role vs. bedside clinical nurse duties and responsibilities. Due to the significance of communication within this position, it’s also a good idea to clarify who the CNL will report to and organizational goals they’ll be expected to work toward.

If your facility relies on CNLs to fulfill responsibilities that fall outside of standard expectations for clinical care leaders, your clinical nurse leader job description should highlight these deviations. This ensures that the applicants who make it to the interview phase of the hiring process are fully aware of any unique requirements within this position and are comfortable performing at a level that truly benefits staff, patients, and organizational outcomes.

Template:

Clinical nurse leaders at our organization are expected to perform the following duties:

• Review facility policies to ensure they meet evidence-based practice guidelines
• Educate staff, patients, and their family members on clinical care goals and strategies
• Coordinate and execute clinical research projects aimed at improving patient health outcomes
• Assist with patient admission, transfer, and discharge to streamline safe care delivery
• Collaborate with nurse managers to develop cost-effective strategies that boost patient and staff wellness
• Attend local conferences, symposiums, and seminars to stay up-to-date on the latest healthcare trends and innovations
• Precept and mentor students enrolled in local clinical nurse leader programs

Compensation and Schedule

Tips: Now that prospective applicants have a better understanding of what the job entails, it’s time to list your CNL pay rate along with any scheduling requirements. When outlining your compensation details, be sure to specify whether the position is hourly or salaried. Also, clarify any additional weekend, night, holiday, or on-call requirements.

Template:

• Starting salary of $90,000, with adjustments made for relevant education and experience
• Full-time employment, working Monday through Friday for 8-hour shifts (8a-4p)
• 1 weekend (Saturday/Sunday 8a-4p) and 1 on-call shift (4p-8a) required per month
• Overtime, holiday, and incentive pay available
• Bi-weekly or weekly pay periods

Clinical Nurse Leader Qualifications and Skills

Tips: What does it take to be a CNL at your facility? In this section of your job description, point out the skills, clinical experience, and clinical nurse leader degree requirements you’re looking for. You can differentiate between required vs. preferred qualifications to keep from missing out on candidates who may not meet all of your preferred qualifications but have the skill set you’re looking for.

Template:

Required Qualifications:

• Active and unencumbered RN license
• MSN required, DNP preferred
• CNC Clinical Nurse Leader Certification
• At least 2 years of bedside nursing experience
• At least 2 years of CNL experience at a similar institution

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience leading evidence-based practice projects, quality improvement initiatives, and other clinical research trials
• Previous participation in shared governance councils
• Bilingual in English and Spanish

Call to Action

Tips: Now that your clinical nurse leader job description has captured the attention of top nursing talent, it’s time to guide candidates straight to the application. Provide a call to action link labeled “Apply Now” or “Click Here to Begin” to bring applicants to the final step of the application process. If your organization doesn’t use an online application portal, be sure to explain the necessary steps for submitting resumes and cover letters.

Template:

Ready to join our nursing leadership team? Start today by clicking “Apply Now.” The entire application process takes less than 10 minutes. Thank you for your interest — we look forward to hearing from you!

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Now that you’ve developed a well-written clinical nurse leader job description, you’re ready to begin recruiting top tier candidates. Expedite the next stages by posting to our industry-leading healthcare hiring board and begin matching with over 1 million qualified nursing professionals actively seeking work today.