Dr. Margaret Hindman, director of graduate studies in nursing at the University of South Carolina Upstate’s Mary Black School of Nursing, recently became the state’s first educator with clinical nurse leader certification, setting the University’s CNL master’s degree apart from other programs.

“As the state’s only faculty CNL, Hindman provides credibility to USC Upstate’s graduate curriculum that is unmatched across the state,” noted Dr. Katharine Gibb, interim dean of the Mary Black School of Nursing. “Dr. Hindman’s expertise will provide students in the newly formed graduate program with coursework and clinical practicums designed to ensure students will excel as they advance their careers and work to improve healthcare in their own communities.”

The CNL is an emerging nursing role developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and designed to improve the quality of patient care and prepare nurses with the competencies needed to thrive in the current and future healthcare system. Nationally, healthcare providers hire CNLs because their skills and training not only improve the outcomes for patients while also reducing the costs.

“CNLs become proficient in analysis of issues at the bedside,” Hindman said. “They learn how to approach issues and find solutions that are cost-effective, clinically relevant, and compatible with how an individual unit functions.”

Classes will commence in August 2014. Projected enrollment in the first year is 18 nursing students with anticipated graduation in two years with full-time participation and three years with part-time participation. Clinical practicums are in the last three semesters and can typically be completed at the student’s local hospitals. Upon completion of the program, graduates must pass the CNL certification examination which is based upon a national standard of requisite knowledge and experiences.

Dr. Margaret Hindman is assistant professor and director of graduate studies in nursing at the Mary Black School of Nursing. In her role, she is responsible for the administration of the graduate program in nursing. She completed a bachelor of science degree in mathematics from the University of South Carolina (USC). Following her studies in mathematics, she received a bachelor of science in nursing from USC, and then a master of science in clinical nursing and nursing research from USC. After practicing nursing for many years she completed a doctorate in nursing with distinction from the Medical College of Georgia, focusing on nursing research of “Health Care Across the Life Span.” She also holds a primary care nursing certificate from USC and is a board certified family nurse practitioner. She took coursework at the University of West Georgia to prepare herself for the CNL certification exam.

For more information on the program, contact Dr. Margaret Hindman at 864-503-5454 or mhindman@uscupstate.edu.

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