Transforming healthcare through nurse-led innovation

Although the models vary in structure and implementation, they share a common goal: to optimize nursing care by ensuring that nurses practice at the top of their license. Importantly, nurse leaders are moving past asking for permission and toward implementing rapid innovation cycles by testing, refining, and scaling what works and measured by achieving strong key performance indicators.

5 best practices to make change happen

1. Foster a culture of change

Successful care model transformation requires a culture that embraces change and innovation. Nurse leaders must create an environment in which experimentation is encouraged, failures are viewed as learning opportunities, and staff feel empowered to contribute to continuous improvement.

2. Adopt flexible frameworks

Those interviewed for the survey emphasized flexibility in innovation by stressing that each unit has unique needs. Approaches should be customized based on a unit’s experience in experimenting with new models, the patient population, and patients’ acuity levels. The conclusions align with IHI report findings, which emphasize the need for adaptive strategies rather than rigid frameworks.

“Workforce innovation should be customized at the unit level rather than be applied as a one-size-fits-all approach,” said Bethany Robertson, DNP, CNM, FNAP, Clinical Executive, Wolters Kluwer Health Learning, Research and Practice. “Different hospital units will have varying levels of acuity and patient needs, but the unit most open to change and where patient acuity is at its highest should be the starting point for innovation.”

3. Implement a test-and-launch model

Those interviewed for the survey advocate for a phased approach to innovation. During early phases of innovation, leaders use progress indicators such as nurse and patient satisfaction levels — versus standard performance metrics such as reduced cost and improved care — to gauge which models are poised to have long-term positive organizational impact. Leaders suggest that nurse and patient satisfaction could evolve to become more-sustaining measures beyond just clinical and direct ROI outcomes.

4. Introduce new types of training

New models require nurses to adapt to evolving roles. Structured training in financial and outcomes-based metrics, care transitions, and digital health solutions is essential to equipping nurses with the skills needed to adapt to a changing healthcare landscape and new, risk-based arrangements.

Training is required in the business of healthcare and the areas that tie directly into reimbursement, such as financial and outcomes-based metrics (62%), how to screen for early detection of behavioral health issues (54%), and communication and collaboration techniques to effectively manage care transitions (43%).

“Nurses have been trained in a certain way for decades,” said Robertson. “Moving to team-based models or incorporating digital solutions into care delivery requires not just training but also a cultural shift in how we define nursing work. And lowering these barriers is crucial for sustainable innovation.”

5. Gain stakeholder buy-in

Change requires collaboration across frontline staff, leadership, and unions. In addition, engaging skeptics early and demonstrating impact through data are critical.

“From leading their hospitals in driving innovation and in professional development, nurses demonstrate their intelligence, adaptability, and dedication to continual learning,” said Daria Kring, Vice President of the Center for Professional Practice & Development at Novant Health, who was interviewed for the survey. “We practice according to evidence, we challenge norms to improve patient outcomes, and we share our successes to inspire others. In nursing, being smart is not an option; being smart is the foundation of our culture, our standards, and our commitment to excellence.”

Redefining nursing roles

As health systems implement new care models, the role of nursing is expanding. More than half (52%) of CNOs cite the position of nurse informaticist as a staffing priority, emphasizing the need for expertise in digital health, interoperability, and evidence-based practice. Additionally, 62% of nurse leaders point out the need for nurse training in financial and outcomes-based metrics, reinforcing the shift toward value-driven care.

Survey respondents also emphasize the importance of cultural transformation. Those interviewed for the survey believe that hospitals must foster an environment in which experimentation is encouraged rather than feared. Nurses should not be afraid they’re going to get something wrong. In today’s evolving landscape, nurse leaders must not only drive innovation but also cultivate workforce cultures that embrace change.

Conclusion: The mandate for transformation

Nurse-led innovation is not just a response to the current crisis; nurse-led innovation is the future of healthcare. The survey findings reinforce that nurse leaders are no longer asking if care models should change but, rather, how fast care models can drive transformation. By integrating innovative frameworks, optimizing workforce models, and fostering a culture of rapid-cycle testing, nurse leaders are reshaping the future of patient care.

As one respondent aptly put it, “Our nurses are not just caregivers; they are innovators, leaders, and evidence-driven professionals shaping the future of healthcare.”