Nurse leading innovation

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.

A new resource from the Duke University School of Nursing is empowering nurses to make artificial intelligence (AI) an ally in their nursing practice. Nurse and Associate Professor Michael Cary, PhD, RN, FAAN emphasizes the importance of training and educating nurses for practice in the era of AI and how to use it to best benefit patients.

Through an action network created by the Institute of Healthcare Improvement and Johnson & Johnson Foundation, with the support of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, five nurse-led teams piloted acute care delivery solutions to support and empower a thriving nursing workforce. Across three phases and 22 months, here’s what they found – and how health systems nationwide can implement their learnings.

From workplace violence to workforce shortages, health systems face many daunting challenges – and just as many opportunities. 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. Below, discover ten groundbreaking approaches presented by the 2023/2024 Fellowship cohort, and learn how nurse leaders are trailblazing a path toward a brighter, more sustainable healthcare system.

Data and information gathering is vital to healthcare outcomes and quality – from identifying best practices for taking care of patients to predicting and planning resource needs and staying nimble during constant change. The role of nurses in technology and informatics is more critical than ever as AI is poised to streamline systems and practices.

In the last two years, the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act has created programs that increase access to, and reduce stigma of, evidence-based mental health treatment for nurses and all healthcare workers. But there is much more work to be done to support our nation’s healthcare workforce. As Congress looks to reauthorize the bill, here are three areas of focus for 2024 and beyond.

Cardiac care nurse Michele Santoro and her fellow clinicians at the Yale New Haven Heart and Vascular Center routinely race against time to save lives. In honor of American Heart Month, read on to find out how her innovations combine technology and a human touch to transform cardiovascular care delivery and improve patient outcomes.

The Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship, powered by Penn Nursing and the Wharton School, is built on the concept of applying design thinking and human-centered design to real-world challenges within health systems. But what is design thinking? And how does this concept help nurses enhance their innovative skills and drive change? Find out below.

The nursing shortage is most acute in rural and urban underserved areas, where economic forces have already adversely impacted healthcare, education, and employment opportunities for communities. But there is a path forward. Learn how communities in rural Kentucky and New Orleans are forging innovative partnerships to supercharge nursing workforce development, provide vital support for local healthcare systems and ultimately strengthen the core of these communities.

Is perioperative nursing for you? Perioperative or operating room (OR) nurses provide patient-focused care in a variety of settings and specialties, with ample opportunities for professional growth. Get the scoop on this fast-paced, team-based, and fulfilling specialty, and find out how health systems and nursing schools are working to strengthen the pipeline of new nurses entering this critical specialty.

Interprofessional collaboration is the practice of approaching patient care from a team-based perspective, with a team comprised of multiple health workers with varying professional backgrounds. By implementing interprofessional collaboration into healthcare environments, multiple disciplines can work more effectively as a team to help improve patient outcomes and better the workplace.

For nurses, more flexibility and better work/life balance are essential. Solutions like Mercy Works on Demand are meeting nurses where they are by offering a gig-based approach to scheduling. Not only is Mercy’s innovative approach addressing shortages and improving patient care, it is also bringing joy back to nursing and demonstrating that a new, flexible future is possible for the profession.

Throughout history, nurses have played an outsized role in interacting with patients, with critical roles in prevention, education, treatment and recovery. In celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, meet nurses whose innovative approaches to patient care have profoundly changed human health.