Ideas Abound at the Nursing Innovation Summit

Hundreds of nurse leaders gathered in October 2016 for Cleveland Clinic’s fourth annual Nursing Innovation Summit at the Global Center for Health Innovation in Cleveland. During a day-long series of presentations, panel discussions and audience activities, attendees gained insight into best practices and ideas related to the event’s theme, “Transforming Healthcare Through Nursing Innovation.”

“Innovation is all around us,” said K. Kelly Hancock, DNP, RN, NE-BC, Executive CNO of Cleveland Clinic in her opening address. “In the current healthcare climate, where value-based care is clearly pivotal, successful innovations in nursing are only going to continue to advance our profession and the care we provide our patients.”

Everyone can be an innovator

The goal of the Nursing Innovation Summit was to help attendees:

• Identify values and behaviors that promote innovation and entrepreneurship
• Learn best practices in communicating innovative ideas and innovations to stakeholders
• Discuss why innovations are necessary to successful healthcare transformation

Nursing professionals from across the country left the event not only inspired to innovate, but with practical advice for turning their ideas into reality – whether they are CNOs or clinical nurses.

“Innovation really does start at the top – at the highest level of leadership,” said Nancy M. Albert, PhD, RN, CCNS, CHFN, CCRN, NE-BC, FAHA, FCCM, FAAN, Associate CNO of Nursing Research and Innovation, who helped coordinate the summit. “But it also requires every nursing team member to believe that they are part of an innovative culture and part of the process. We want nurses to bring their ideas and innovations to light at Cleveland Clinic or the centers where they work.”

Several nurses shared ideas that have already been put into action. Some directly benefit patients, such as a vital sign alert system implemented at Cleveland Clinic’s Medina Hospital. Others create efficiencies for nurses, like hand sanitizers mounted on workstations-on-wheels at Cleveland Clinic’s main campus.

Ideas that spawn innovation

The day was packed with great ideas, but some notable highlights of the Nursing Innovation Summit included the following:

• Learning through gamification – Susan D. Finlayson, DNP, RN, and Stacey Brull, DNP, RN, NE-BC, of Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore shared the interactive digital game they created for nursing orientation at their healthcare organization. Users create an avatar and travel around an electronic island to reinforce concepts related to falls, wounds, pain and other nursing tasks, safety goals and tools.
• Building an elevator speech – Tim Raderstorf, MSN, RN, from The Ohio State University College of Nursing provided advice for building an elevator speech to help convince stakeholders that an innovation is worth funding. Attendees created their own one-minute speeches, then competed in head-to-head competitions to see whose was most persuasive.
• Capitalizing on the maker revolution – Anna Young, BS, co-founder and CEO of MakerHealth, talked about bringing the maker movement – creating what you need, when you need it – to healthcare. She cited numerous examples of nurses creating the tools they need to solve problems, from an infant tracheostomy simulation device made from a doll and flexible tubing to a hypospadias window diaper constructed with vinyl diaper covers, a pencil and scissors.

At the end of many conferences, attendees feel drained. But this one left the crowd energized and ready to pursue their ideas.

“Innovators must have the freedom to imagine what is possible, develop their ideas collaboratively and experience them within an organization and unit,” said Hancock. “We need to continue to hone in on fresh ideas!”