About the AACN CSI Academy
The Nursing Workforce Solutions Program, by Johnson & Johnson and powered by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) through its Clinical Scene Investigator (CSI) Academy, equips direct care nurses with the leadership skills, tools, and mentorship they need to create healthier work environments, improve nurse retention, and enhance job satisfaction.
Program Overview
This 18-month program builds on the proven success of AACN’s CSI Academy:
- 12 months of the CSI Academy core program
- 6 additional months of consultation and a train-the-trainer workshop to help participants scale projects across their organization.
What You'll Gain
- Strengthen Leadership Skills: Gain hands-on experience leading meaningful, nurse-driven change while improving communication, collaboration, and decision making.
- Impact Nurse Retention: Implement proven strategies to improve job satisfaction and reduce turnover.
- Develop a Healthy Work Environment: Create sustainable improvements for both patients and staff that enhance safety, quality, and overall care outcomes.
- Scale Your Success: Train-the-trainer model enables projects to expand across units.
- Expert Mentorship: In-person and virtual training guided by AACN national faculty.
Did you know?
Past CSI Academy graduates have demonstrated a 455% return on investment (ROI) through sustainable, scalable initiatives
Join a virtual session to learn more about the program
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Tuesday, Nov. 4,
2pm ET -
Thursday, Nov. 6, 2pm ET
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Thursday, Nov. 20, 11am ET
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Wednesday, Dec. 3, 3pm ET
Program timeline
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Applications OpenOctober 20 - December 16, 2025
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Selected Participants NotifiedLate December -
Cohort LaunchQ1 through Q2 2026 (rolling) -
Program LaunchesSession dates will be scheduled once cohorts are identified.
"Research supports that implementing healthy work environments through nurse-led innovation has measurable improvements for nurse retention, job satisfaction, organizational culture and patient outcomes. Through this collaborative effort, we will drive change to support our nursing workforce."
Vicki Good, DNP, RN, CENP, CPPS, FAAN
Chief Clinical Officer
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
Nursing Workforce Solutions Program: 2025-2026 Cohort
Meet the 26 health system teams that form the new 2025-2026 program. These teams of 240 nurses represent geographically diverse areas across the U.S., large and small health systems, and standalone hospitals in urban and rural locations.
- Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center - Advocate Health, Charlotte, NC
- Atrium Health Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC
- Baystate Wing Hospital, Palmer, MA
- Berkshire Medical Center, Pittsfield, MA
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
- Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA
- Cape Cod Hospital, Barnstable, MA
- Children’s Hospital and Medical Center, Omaha, NE
- Holyoke Medical Center, Holyoke, MA
- Mass General Brigham - Spaulding Rehabilitation, Boston, MA
- Methodist Fremont Health, Fremont, NE
- Methodist Hospital/Women’s Hospital, Omaha, NE
- Methodist Jennie Edmundson, Council Bluffs, IA
- Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton, MA
- Ochsner Health Center - Hancock, Bay St. Louis, MS
- Ochsner Health Center - St. Bernard, Chalmette, LA
- Ochsner Health Center - Luling, Luling, LA
- Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner, Kenner, LA
- Ochsner Medical Center – New Orleans, Jefferson, LA
- Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport - Shreveport, LA
- Ochsner Medical Center - West Bank Campus, Gretna, LA
- Presbyterian Hospital, Albuquerque, NM
- Prisma Health, Columbia, SC
- Sturdy Memorial Hospital, Attleboro, MA
- Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA
- University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL
For healthcare to work, it takes nurses. Nursing burnout, turnover, and vacancy rates especially in acute care and hospital settings continue to be an issue for many health systems. Understanding what kind of work environment is important to nurses is the first step toward addressing the foundational issues that can cause them to leave. Through programs that focus on innovation and leadership skills, we can help support more nurse-led solutions that can transform health systems and create environments where nurses and patients can thrive.
Related resources
Ten nurse-led multidisciplinary health system teams from around the world were selected as finalists for the NurseHack4Health Pitch-A-Thon, with the chance to be awarded up to $150,000 in grant funding to bring solutions for a thriving workforce and healthy work environment to life. Meet the finalist teams below!
Through the Nurse Innovation Fellowship Program by Johnson & Johnson, powered by Penn Nursing and the Wharton School, nursing leaders are immersed in the innovation process to redefine the future of patient care and professional well-being by tackling a real problem at their health systems.
