Role of the CNL in the Department of Psychiatry It has never been more critical to provide high quality care in the hospital while being cost effective. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2005) created the role of Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) to introduce lateral integration of care for specific groups using creatively and intentionally a variety of health resources. (AACN, 2005). The purpose of the CNL is to help in various departments of the healthcare system including the psychiatric department. Although there is an ongoing tension between medical care and psychiatric care and the choice of which is more important for a patient, the Clinical Nurse Leader aims to bridge the gap between the two. The goal in creating the Clinical Nurse Leader position in inpatient psychiatric settings is to reorient the healthcare system to reduce medical errors, increase patient safety, and improve health outcomes (Seed, Torkelson, & Karshmer, 2009). CNL is not common in the psychiatric care setting at this time because the role is fairly new (Seed, Torkelson, & Karshmer, 2009). However, the role has had a major impact on other departments and has the capacity to do the same in inpatient psychiatric care. By describing the relevance and importance of the CNL's role within the Medicine/Psychiatry (Med/Psych) department, what the team would look like (the integration of the two departments) and the future implications of the nursing profession, there will be a better vision understanding the impact of the evidence-based model implemented across future CNLs. Relevance of the Role of the CNL to the Department of Psychiatry Although the role of the CNL is quite new to the healthcare system, it has an impact...... middle of the paper .... .... Torkelson, DJ and Karshmer JF (2009) . The clinical nurse leader: Helping psychiatric mental health nurses transform their practice. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 15(2), 120-125. doi:10.1177/1078390309333063Sprayberry, L. D. (2014). Transforming the American healthcare system: Implications for direct care nurse practitioners. MEDSURG Nursing. 23(1),61-66. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/Stanley, J., Gannon, J., Gabuat, J., Hartranft, S., Adams, N., Mayes, C., Shouse, G.M., Edwards, B. A. and Burch, D. (2008). The clinical nurse leader: a catalyst for improving quality and patient safety. Journal of Nursing Management. 16,614-622. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2834-2008---899.xUniversity of Pennsylvania. (2014, April 15). Admission and assessment services. Retrieved from https://www.med.upenn.edu/psych/inpatient.html