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Johnson & Johnson Nurses Innovate QuickFire Challenge Series
The Johnson & Johnson Nurses Innovate QuickFire Challenge series invites the millions of nurses worldwide to submit nurse-led solutions, protocols, technologies, devices and/or treatment approaches.

The nurse innovators with the best ideas will receive up to $100,000 in grant funding and access to mentoring and coaching from experts across the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies to help bring their ideas to life.
OUR LATEST CHALLENGE
Together with the American Nursing Informatics Association (ANIA) and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL), we’re excited to announce the awardees of the latest QuickFire Challenge. Nurse innovators Jean Putnam and Paulo Alves and their teams are envisioning a new future of remote monitoring.

Learn From Our Past QFC Awardees

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JEAN PUTNAM
Jean Putnam - QFC Nurse-led tech awardee
Listen to these people on the front lines—the ideas they have and the things they want to do. Every time I bring something to our nurses, they make it faster and better. This is what nurses do.
JEAN PUTNAM, DNP, MS, RN, CPHQ, NEA-BC
QuickFire Challenge: Nurse-led Tech
ERIN ATHEY
Erin Athey: QuickFire Challenge awardee
Keep sharing your ideas. Innovation is an iterative process, if you see a need to make a change, keep talking—even if your idea isn’t perfect.
ERIN ATHEY, DNP, FNP, RN, FAANP
QuickFire Challenge: Improving Access to Care
Tracy Zvenyach
Image of Johnson & Johnson QuickFire Challenge awardee
I think any nurse thinking about applying for a chance to develop either themselves or their ideas should apply, because the worst thing you’ll ever hear is 'No.'
Tracy Zvenyach, PhD, APRN-NP
QuickFire Challenge: Mental Health
Abby Hess
Headshot of Johnson & Johnson QuickFire Challenge awardee
Your ideas and solutions to these challenges will improve healthcare for patients and clinicians across the world, and they are waiting for you to take the next step.
Abby Hess, APRN, DNP
QuickFire Challenge: Improving Human Health
Nicole Lincoln
Image of Johnson & Johnson QuickFire Challenge awardee
Nurses understand patient needs better than anyone else, so I believe anytime a healthcare product or solution is being developed, a nurse should be involved.
Nicole Lincoln, MSN, RN, APRN-BC, CCRN
QuickFire Challenge: Maternal & Newborn Health
Chao Hsing Yeh
Image of Johnson & Johnson QuickFire Challenge awardee
Find a positive environment and surround yourself with people who will encourage, motivate and support you endlessly. Once you set up your goal, it may need to take a little detour, but your persistence will pay off. Keep trying, do not give up and do not settle.
Chao Hsing Yeh, PhD, RN
QuickFire Challenge: Perioperative Health
KATHLEEN MALOUF
Image of Johnson & Johnson QuickFire Challenge awardee
Come forward with your ideas and products, because just by believing in yourself, you can change healthcare. It’s within your power."
KATHLEEN MALOUF, BS, BSN, RN-BC, CBC, CSRN
QuickFire Challenge: COVID-19 Patient Care
Our Nurses Innovate QuickFire Challenges
Healthcare Transformation through Nurse-Led Tech
Together with the American Nursing Informatics Association (ANIA) and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL), the Johnson & Johnson Nurses Innovate QuickFire Challenge: Healthcare Transformation through Nurse-led Tech launched in November, 2021.
image of nurse caring for patient with high-tech healthcare solutions
image of nurse caring for patient with high-tech healthcare solutions
Improving Access to Care
The Johnson & Johnson Nurses Innovate QuickFire Challenge: Improving Access to Care launched in May 2021. The Challenge looked to nurses and students to create potential solutions that aim to improve quality and access to equitable care and ultimately help prevent, intercept or treat disease.
Mom and daughter take a trip to the doctor's office for an appointment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mom and daughter take a trip to the doctor's office for an appointment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mental Health
Together with the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA), the Johnson & Johnson Nurses Innovate QuickFire Challenge on Mental Health launched in 2020.
Patient speaking to nurse via a telehealth appointment
Patient speaking to nurse via a telehealth appointment
COVID-19 Patient Care
Together with the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) and the Society of Nurse Scientists, Innovators, Entrepreneurs & Leaders (SONSIEL), the Johnson & Johnson Nurses Innovate QuickFire Challenge: COVID-19 Patient Care launched in 2020.
Female nurse in scrubs and face mask performing a COVID-19 test
Female nurse in scrubs and face mask performing a COVID-19 test
Oncology Care
Together with the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), the Johnson & Johnson Nurses Innovate QuickFire Challenge in Oncology Care launched in 2019.
Female nurse smiling and talking to a male patient
Female nurse smiling and talking to a male patient
Maternal and Newborn Health
Together with the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), the Johnson & Johnson Nurses Innovate QuickFire Challenge in Maternal and Newborn Health was launched in 2019.
Close-up of female nurse holding newborn baby
Close-up of female nurse holding newborn baby
Perioperative Care
In collaboration with the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), the Johnson & Johnson Nurses Innovate QuickFire Challenge in Perioperative Care was launched in 2019.
Close-up of a female nurse in scrubs, face mask, and face shield
Close-up of a female nurse in scrubs, face mask, and face shield
Improving Human Health
In the inaugural launch of the Johnson & Johnson Nurses Innovate QuickFire Challenge series in 2018, the more than 3.2 million nurses located throughout the U.S. were invited to submit ideas for new devices, health technologies, protocols or treatment approaches that had the power to profoundly impact patient care and human health.
Male and female nurse in scrubs smiling while looking at computer
Male and female nurse in scrubs smiling while looking at computer
Helpful Resources for Getting Started
Looking for helpful ways to grow your skills as a nurse innovator? Start with our Innovation 101 hub.
  • Are you looking to perfect your pitch for your innovative idea? Here, we’ve gathered best practices and tips from nurse innovators and created a quick guide to crafting a memorable pitch!
  • It can be tricky to communicate the full potential of your discoveries without spilling the secret sauce, let alone present virtually! Join this webinar to learn the tricks of the trade in preparing a non-confidential deck and executive summary along with tips that are aimed to help you sell your science for in person meetings or virtually.
  • Whether you’re pitching for dilutive or non-dilutive funding, to venture capital investors or to government funders, success can hinge upon your pitch. What are some of the potential elements that make a pitch successful in the virtual world? What differs from in-person pitches? We gathered a group of experts to discuss the elements of a successful pitch to potentially improve your chances of reaching your next milestone.
  • Scientists often have diffculty explaining what they do. Consequently, not only does the public know less and less about exciting research projects, but investors, media and patients are also often in the dark. This inability to describe what they do often hinders healthcare startups from raising funds, attracting media attention and connecting with future customers. This session will help teach you how to relate your story to different audiences and ensure you and your story – whether in the form of an investor presentation, networking talk or recruiting pitch – will be remembered.

QuickFire Challenge Series Partners

Nurse-led innovation has the power to transform health and healthcare systems. That’s because, in assessing a patient or a problem, nurses don’t just consider results. They use critical thinking to define a problem, and combine objective data with on-the-ground experience and teamwork to create solutions that make sure every patient receives the best possible treatment.
Group of smiling nurses in scrubs holding folders
Group of smiling nurses in scrubs holding folders
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