In 2005, St. Lucie Medical Center became one of the practice partners of Florida Atlantic University in the Clinical Nurse Leader™ (CNL™) Project. In 2006, the Clinical Nurse Leader™ position was piloted in two nursing units and thus far, positive clinical outcomes have been demonstrated. This initiative helped shape the new Nursing Care Delivery Model at SLMC.

The model embraces and capitalizes on the strength of each member of the professional nursing staff. The Patient Care Coordinator (PCC) oversees and focuses on the daily unit operations while the CNL is the clinical expert and leads the nursing team in elevating the practice of professional nursing. The PCC and the CNL collaborate to ensure all aspects of operational and clinical elements are addressed. In addition, the PCC and the CNL work closely with the professional nursing staff in a collaborative environment. This new nursing care delivery model puts patients at the core of professional nursing practice, thus creating a “Patient-Centered Care Model.”