Workplace culture

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.

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.

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.

The Safer Together initiative highlights the critical link between workforce safety and patient care. By fostering a culture of trust and collaboration, it empowers healthcare workers and improves safety for both patients and providers. Learn how the initiative focuses on creating an environment of shared responsibility where everyone plays a part in ensuring safety.

In an inspiring display of nursing innovation, the nurse-led teams from the Ghanaian-Diaspora Nursing Alliance and Seattle Children’s Hospital have together been awarded a combined $185,500 in grant funding through the third annual NurseHack4Health Pitch-A-Thon. Meet the two teams here.

The largest health system in the Carolinas has introduced a Well-Being Coaching Initiative that is transforming nurse well-being by reducing burnout and turnover by fostering self-leadership. This program trains nurses to coach both themselves and their peers, creating a ripple effect of support across the organization. With impressive results, Atrium is building a long-term culture of well-being by empowering its nursing staff.

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.

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.