Shaping the Future: Nurses Gather to Drive Change
Post Date: March 21, 2025 | Publish Date:
Nurses do more than provide bedside care—they are problem solvers, innovators and leaders shaping the future of healthcare. That was the key message from Oriana Beaudet, DNP, RN, FAAN, vice president of innovation for the American Nurses Association Enterprise during her recent visit to the University of Cincinnati.
Hosted by the UC College of Nursing, Beaudet’s visit brought together regional chief nursing officers (CNOs), frontline nurse innovators, and healthcare leaders from Cincinnati Children’s for a dynamic exchange on advancing nursing innovation. The event featured a live presentation and webinar, a CNO roundtable, and a meet-and-greet hosted by Cincinnati Children’s Innovation Ventures. The CNO Roundtable discussion was moderated by Bryan Burrs, MBA, OTTAVA Go to Market Leader, NA, Johnson & Johnson Med Tech Surgery.
These dynamic sessions provided a platform for discussions on how nurses can drive healthcare transformation. Conversations underscored the need for stronger support systems to fuel innovation and highlighted the power of collaboration in achieving lasting impact.
“The nursing profession has a rich history of inventing solutions for patient needs,” Beaudet said. “By redefining the future of nursing, it all starts with the work we lead today.”
Nurses Lead Transformation
Beaudet’s talk ignited conversations about nursing innovation’s untapped potential. She challenged participants to recognize their own innovative contributions, saying, “It’s not just about adapting to change, it’s about leading transformation.”
Innovation is intrinsic to nursing practice, whether modifying existing approaches or creating entirely new solutions. Several nurse-led innovations demonstrate the profession’s transformative impact:
- Portable Seizure Pads: Nurses Joey Ferry, BSN, RN, and Taofiki Gafar-Schaner, MSN, RN, developed self-inflating seizure pads now used nationwide.
- Community Pop-Up Clinics: KaSheta Jackson, DNP, RN, established mobile clinics offering health screenings, fresh food and employment opportunities in rural North Carolina.
- Telehealth for Mental Health: Nurse entrepreneurs, Brighid Gannon, DNP, and Pritma Dhillon-Chattha, DNP, MHA, launched a telepsychiatry service now operating in 14 states.
- AI-Driven Social Services: Kwamane Liddell, JD, MHA, BSN, created an AI application that streamlines patient access to financial and social services.
“These nurses started with a simple idea and turned it into a solution that is making a nationwide impact,” Beaudet said.
Innovation Partnerships Drive Impact
Beaudet highlighted the importance of effective partnerships between nursing and other disciplines, a concept exemplified by Cincinnati Children’s Abby Hess, APRN, DNP, clinical innovation lead, and Todd Ponsky, MD, chief innovation officer, who are current members of the UC College of Nursing’s Innovation Advisory Board. Led by Melissa Cheeks DNP, RN, Joan & Mark Hurray Professor of Innovation, the board includes leaders from industry, academia, hospitals and the community to provide innovation expertise and guidance as the college develops programs to educate and empower frontline nurses to drive meaningful innovation and deliver transformative change. Cheeks said: “To create a nurse-driven innovation ecosystem and tackle complex healthcare problems, we must embrace our identity as innovators and leaders, collaborate boldly, and partner with industry and community stakeholders for greater impact.”
A Call to Action for Nurses
Beaudet summed up by quoting philosopher Alan Watts: “The only way to make sense of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” She urged nurses to embrace challenges rather than shy away from them, emphasizing that shaping the future requires bold action.
“You don’t need to have all the answers right now,” she said. “But you must be willing to try, fail, and try again. Innovation is messy, but it’s also courageous. And it starts with you.”
Learn more about ANA’s Enterprise Innovation and Cincinnati Children’s Innovation Ventures
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The Research Horizons blog features news and insights about the latest discoveries and innovations developed by the scientists of Cincinnati Children's. This blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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