Welcome to PACE

We are excited to have you a part of our “state of the art” Professional Nurse Clinical Ladder “PACE” Program! The clinical ladder is a tool developed specifically at CHOC to assist in reaching our vision for nursing. The clinical ladder is a structured system to provide our nurses with career advancement while remaining in the clinical setting and providing direct patient care. Our program is used to distinguish advancement in care, recognize professional development and differentiate levels of nursing expertise and contributions.

Clinical Nurse Atributes
CN III

The proficient nurse (minimum 3-5 years of experience) who has an in-depth knowledge of nursing practice; the nurse perceives each situation as a whole and comprehends the significant aspects of situation based on one’s experience. The nurse demonstrates the ability to recognize situational changes that require unplanned or unanticipated interventions. The nurse responds to most situations with confidence, speed, and flexibility. Progression is from a task orientation to a holistic view of patient care. The nurse develops effective relationships with other caregivers and provides leadership to the health care team in formulating integrated approaches to care. Able to effectively mentor and precept newer nurses. Focus is primarily unit based. The nurse interprets patients’ and family’s experiences from a wider perspective and can envision other possibilities.

 

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CN IV

Nurses are expert practitioners (minimum 5-7 years of experience) whose intuition and skill arise from comprehensive knowledge thoroughly grounded in experience. One’s practice is characterized by a flexible, innovative, and confident self-directed approach to patient and family care. This nurse identifies situations, formulates solutions, initiates change, and monitors outcomes. Expert nurses operate from a deep understanding of the total situation. They are able to articulate their practice comfortably and proficiently. They are involved in activities on the organizational level and understand how their unit aligns with the strategic goals of the organization. The nurse keeps one’s personal values in perspective and therefore is better able to encourage and support patient and family choices. Expert nurses collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to challenge and coordinate resources in order to maximize advocacy for patient and family care
and in achieving the most effective outcomes. The nurse serves as a role-model and readily shares knowledge.