Nurse-Led Pilots Aim to Address Challenges
The American Nurses Foundation (the Foundation) is awarding $14 million over three years through its Reimagining Nursing Initiative to projects impacting 20 states. Housed at various universities, nonprofit hospitals and startup companies that serve diverse communities across the country, the nurse-led pilots are sparking new ideas and testing solutions to address key challenges nurses face from nurse education models that “teach to the test” rather than validating the competencies nurses need to be successful to having to use technology not designed with their input.
The Reimagining Nursing Initiative selected 10 bold ideas that lean into nurses’ knowledge and expertise to develop solutions that allow them to work more effectively in various care settings. The pilots share one vision: to transform health care by reimagining the nursing profession. The Foundation will support these ideas and determine how they can be scaled and broadly implemented. The pilots aim to create a future where nurses—in hospitals, schools, clinics, and communities—drive change, use their skills, and, most importantly, are valued and compensated for the care they provide.
“The Reimagining Nursing Initiative provides the solid investments nurses need to transform the education, regulation, and practice of nursing,” says American Nurses Foundation Executive Director Kate Judge. “Nurses are a natural catalytic force for accelerating the evolution of our health system because they have an unmatched perspective on prevention, wellness, and delivery of healthcare services.”
One pilot is using robots equipped with artificial intelligence that can predict and deliver what nurses need based on a patient’s electronic health records. Another pilot makes it possible for patients to receive home-based, nurse-led primary care for people living with dementia. Yet another uses an off-the-shelf technology to deploy nurses to assist people returning home after being discharged from the hospital, allowing patients to request and pay for nurse care directly and on-demand.
“We received nearly 350 nurse-led projects to consider for this initiative, and we have selected those that have the potential to be most transformational. We look forward to enjoying the health care that nurses are creating,” Judge said.
“Having started my career as a nurse, I understand and am grateful for the commitment, expertise, and grace exhibited by the nurses of Kaiser Permanente and throughout the nation who are caring for our patients, families, and communities,” said Greg A. Adams Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Kaiser Permanente. “The pandemic has reinforced the critical and foundational role nurses play and has solidified how the health care system must change to meet evolving needs. There is no better time to reimagine the nursing profession to help lead this transformation. This initiative supports innovative ideas and solutions from the perspective of nurses that will make a difference in patient’s lives and improve access, care, and health outcomes for all.”
The Reimagining Nursing Initiative is made possible through the generous support of the Kaiser Permanente National Community Benefit Fund at East Bay Community Foundation, AMN Healthcare, Omnicell, and the Salka Impact Fund.
For more information about the RN Initiative and to explore each pilot, visit https://www.nursingworld.org/rninitiative.
