Clarifying Role Expectations and Practice Standards Using a Clinical Nurse Leader Professional Practice Model Illustration.

Background: Despite evidence of the positive impact of the clinical nurse leader (CNL) role, implementation of supplemental nursing roles has proven to be challenging due to unclear role explanations and organizational unfamiliarity.

Problem: Nurses practice in a dynamic environment and need to cope with the rapid pace of change in practice roles. Outside of the preparation of the CNL, many nursing professionals are not educated or prepared on the essential aspects the CNL role.

The use of a homeless shelter as a clinical rotation for nursing students.

Homeless persons are a population at risk in the community with health problems which nursing can impact. They are a heterogeneous group from all levels of society with a variety of acute and chronic health problems. Senior nursing students learn the theories and causative factors of becoming homeless as well as the resources available to them in this southeastern city.