Health systems

In many rural hospitals, new nurses may be the only graduate hired that year. The Iowa Online Nurse Residency Program connects them with peers across hospitals, creating the support network they need to build confidence and thrive in practice.

When nurses at Tufts Medical Center saw that patient mobility was clinically essential but operationally difficult, they didn’t accept the gap — they redesigned the work. Through the Nursing Workforce Solutions program, a team of direct care nurses created a dedicated Mobility Tech role that improves patient outcomes while easing nursing workload burden. Here’s how structured nurse-led innovation is transforming care from the bedside up.

Nurses are the backbone of healthcare delivery. Yet philanthropic investment in nursing lags far behind the need to transform complex health systems. Below, learn why sustained investment in nurses is essential to sustained access to care.

Growing from a single hackathon to a global platform for nurse-led innovation, NurseHack4Health has been empowering nursing teams to design bold, scalable solutions for five years. This year’s Pitch-A-Thon showcases the breadth of nursing ingenuity, from AI-driven maternal health tools and sensory-based care innovations to solar-powered dialysis and digital workforce solutions, demonstrating how nurses everywhere are transforming healthcare.

In a novel and impactful model, Ascension is transforming healthcare innovation by pairing nurse operators with practice-based nurse scientists. This partnership blends operational expertise with scientific rigor, turning frontline insights into scalable, evidence-based solutions. From reducing falls in emergency departments to improving retention and safety, the approach delivers measurable impact and empowers nurses to lead change.

Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System is creating powerful new on-ramps for nursing careers, starting in high school. Through a bold partnership with the Aldine Independent School District and a deep investment in internal mobility, the system is opening doors for students and staff alike to build meaningful careers in healthcare.

Through the 2024–2025 Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship, 10 nurse-led teams are piloting creative, scalable solutions to some of the most persistent challenges in care delivery. Learn how nursing leaders across the country are solving these issues and building a more supportive, sustainable future for nurses everywhere.

At New Orleans-based Ochsner Health, this CNO sees nursing challenges as solvable design problems, and is cultivating an environment where nurses thrive through flexible care models, open communication, and strategic investments. Read on to learn how she’s making the case for nursing leadership as the linchpin of health system transformation.

What happens when frontline nurses are given the space, support, and structure to drive change? At Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health, the nursing innovation unit started by tackling everyday frustrations, like moving printers and improving communication, and has since evolved into a powerhouse for workflow and care delivery transformation. Find out why the initiative started, what key structural supports make it successful, and how these nurse-led innovations are now scaling across the system.