Learning Objective #1: Explore the key elements of care management required for future healthcare systems and the linkage and integration of the advanced practice nurse

Learning Objective #2: Review the nursing knowledge and application required to establish a graduate curriculum in advanced care management and leadership

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The current healthcare system, driven by markets and healthcare consumers as well as quality improvement, reform, and managed care processes, requires a constant renewal of how things are done. The paradigm of focusing on illness events with diagnosis, treatment, and some level of follow-up is evolving to a new paradigm of clinical case/care management, population health care, and approaches to assuring health and maintaining consumers in the health continuum. With renewal and paradigm changes comes an ever-increasing complexity of the healthcare system as a whole that results in the need for a different type of leader and manager. The Wellstar School of Nursing faculty at Kennesaw State University assessed the need for such a clinical nurse leader by reviewing the literature and seeking input from health care institutions and others in the University's community of interest. This assessment led to the development of a Master of Science in Nursing in Advanced Care Management and Leadership for experienced registered nurses. This 40 semester hour cohort program is delivered in an online and alternate-weekend class format that provides the students the opportunity to complete an advanced degree with a minimum of career disruption. The curriculum is built around courses that focus on clinical leadership, advanced care management principles, ethics, health policy, finance and budgeting, information technology, conflict management, organizational effectiveness, resource allocation, and best practices in the healthcare setting. Grounded in clinical nursing practice and guided by healthcare and nursing management theory and research, graduates will possess the knowledge and skills needed to assume the role of a clinical nurse leader in a variety of healthcare settings.