Participants were asked how they would describe their roles as a CNL.
Participants described their primary role as that of an educator. Participants shared stories
describing experiences teaching fellow nurses, subordinates, and patients. The literature
supports the CNL as an educator. According to Tornabeni and Miller (2008), the CNL
performs their roles within the microsystem of a unit, keeping in mind how the meso and
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macrosystems influence this system and group of clients. When the CNL performs
education within the microsystem; the impact moves out to both the meso and
macrosystems. This impact on all of the systems supports outcomes that are identified by
the CNL as an important part of their role. In the cases described by the CNLs during the
interviews, education would be appropriate with the meso and macrosystems of the CNL.
Theme Three: Daily Role Outcomes