Overview of the CNL Certification Program: Value of the Credential
Webinar Overview
Are you a student or graduate of a Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) education program? Find out how certification demonstrates competency of the CNL role and how to apply for CNL certification. Hosted by the Commission on Nurse Certification (CNC) and AACN’s Graduate Nursing Student Academy (GNSA), this program will introduce you to the CNL Certification Program.
During the Webinar, Tracy Lofty, CNC’s Director, Dr. Patricia Thomas, CNC Board of Commissioners Chair, and Erica C. DeBoer, a practicing CNL and member of the CNC Board of Commissioners, will discuss the application process, exam resources, renewal requirements, and the overall importance of CNL certification.
Webinar Speakers
Tracy Lofty, MSA, CAE, Director, Commission on Nurse Certification
Tracy Lofty has more than 20 years of experience in the professional development field of association management. She has been responsible for developing and managing career and employment services, national educational conferences, distance learning programs, and professional certifications. Ms. Lofty currently serves as Director of the Commission on Nurse Certification, an autonomous agency of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Previously she served as Director of Postdoctoral Training Standards and Evaluation for the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons and has held other positions with national organizations. Ms. Lofty has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Master of Science in Administration (Human Resource Development concentration) from Trinity College in Washington, DC. Ms. Lofty earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives and the Advanced Certification Administrator (ACA) from the National Certification Commission. In addition, she has a certificate in Event Management from George Washington University’s School of Business.
Patricia L. Thomas, PhD, MSN, RN, CNL, Chair of the Commission on Nurse Certification
Dr. Patricia Thomas started her nursing career in 1982 after graduating from Lake Superior State College. She returned to school completing her BSN (1984) and MSN (1993) at the University of Michigan. She earned her PhD in 2006 from Walden University. She has held leadership positions in practice and academe and is certified as a CNL, CNS, advanced nursing administration, and healthcare management. Recognized as a leader in case management, care coordination, and communication, her clinical practice centered on chronic illness management in different practice settings. Her publications and research interests are in leadership development, quality improvement, care delivery models, case management, nursing education, and role development. She serves as a Magnet Appraiser for the American Nurses Credentialing Center and serves on several state and national professional organization boards. Currently, she is the Director of Nursing Practice and Research for Trinity Health.
Erica C. DeBoer, MA, RN, CCRN, CNL, Member of the Commission on Nurse Certification Board of Commissioners
Erica started her nursing career in 1997 after graduating with her BSN from South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD. She completed her MA in 2010 from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD as a part of the first cohort of Clinical Nurse Leaders in the region. The majority of her nursing career has been spent at the bedside in the Critical Care Setting in a variety of roles from Charge Nurse, Clinical Nurse Educator, Clinical Leader, to Clinical Nurse Leader. She has been instrumental in the development of multiple programs in critical care setting as well the implementation of smart pump technology and bedside scanning of medications hospital wide. Erica leads multiple interdisciplinary teams to achieve more reliable processes and outcomes for patients. Over the last 2 years Ms. DeBoer has taken on a hospital wide roll at Sanford USD Medical Center leading other projects and teams. She is the principal investigator in a cancer related fatigue study and assists with educating frontline staff at Sanford with understanding the basics of Evidenced Based Practice (EBP) and application at the bedside. Erica serves as adjunct faculty at 2 of the local colleges focusing on core CNL courses and EBP and research as well as the importance of implementation at the bedside.