The Case for Clinical Nurse Leaders: Guiding Nursing Practice into the 21st Century

Twenty-first century realities affecting healthcare are dramatically and radically changing the landscape for nursing practice.1 Much of the intensive and comprehensive professional and role development for the entire field of nursing grew out of the focused action of nursing leaders during the 20th century. These efforts directed to the development and maturation of the profession occurred in an industrial-era context, reflecting many of the values, constructs, and work processes of the age. Even the conceptual and contextual framework that guided the development of nursing thought, principles, and practices was grounded in the Newtonian processes that were the earmarks of the industrial age.2