Nurse leaders and researchers pioneer innovative care
From their unique perspective as the healthcare professionals who spend the most time with patients, nurses are well positioned to recognize and imagine possibilities to improve care. Vital nurse-led research explores how these opportunities can be implemented and the impact they make.
At the American Nurses Enterprise (ANE), empowering nurses to pursue nursing research and innovation is a strategic priority, supported by initiatives from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the American Nurses Foundation (ANF), and the American Nurses Association (ANA). Through leadership, research, tools, and funding, ANE is championing nurse-led research and innovation to drive safer patient outcomes and support nurse well-being worldwide.
ANE hosted its annual Research Symposium on October 7, a preconference event in conjunction with the 2025 Magnet & Pathway Conference™. The theme for the symposium was “Amplifying the Value of Nursing through Transformative Research.”
During her opening remarks, ANCC President Laura J. Wood, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, underscored how the symposium brings together passionate nurses, dedicated nurse leaders, researchers, and scientists to explore innovative ideas to change care delivery. She also noted that the symposium is a “powerful experience and serves as a force for good in quantifying the value of nursing.” Wood remarked, “We have an exciting future ahead, given this work today.”
The Economic Value of Nursing
The study introduces a pioneering framework: the Nursing Human Capital Value Model, a data-driven approach to quantifying the economic impact of nursing within healthcare systems. The model offers a practical roadmap for nurse leaders and health system executives to measure and communicate the value nurses create—both in patient outcomes and financial performance. It identifies how investing in nurses directly contributes to
revenue growth, cost savings, and care quality, while highlighting the economic risks of underinvestment in the nursing workforce.
The three phases of the study are:
- Concept Development – Building a new conceptual model for the economic value of nursing, establishing a progressive definition that captures both measurable and non-measurable impacts.
- Evidence Review and Validation – Conducting a systematic review of existing literature to refine and validate the model, leading to robust recommendations for measurement and application.
- Proof-of-Concept Testing – Applying the model in pilot settings to demonstrate its ability to quantify nursing’s impact and inform decision-making around staffing, education, and professional development.
“The goal of this study is to reframe how nurses are traditionally viewed—not just as caregivers, but as strategic assets whose expertise drives both clinical excellence and financial stability,” said Brad Goettl, DNP, DHA, RN, FAAN, FACHE, chief nursing officer of ANE. “This model provides a powerful tool for healthcare leaders to understand and act on the true return on investment in nursing.”
According to researchers, the Nursing Human Capital Value Model underscores that investing in nurses fuels a cycle of high-quality care, improved outcomes, and increased revenue for healthcare systems. Conversely, underinvestment can lead to diminished productivity, higher costs, and long-term financial risk. Learn more about the project at bit.ly/4gZw4jC.
Setting research priorities
“Building capacity for nursing research means empowering nurses at every level to lead inquiry, drive innovation, and shape the future of healthcare,” said Heidi McNeely, PhD, RN, PCNS-BC, NEA-BC, vice president of individual credentialing and research at ANE. “Through education, resources, and clearly defined priorities, the Institute for Nursing Research and Quality Management, together with the Research Advisory Council, supports nurses in answering the toughest questions through research, leading to improved patient care and advancement of the nursing profession.”
The Institute for Nursing Research and Quality Management welcomed nine additional nurse leaders and researchers to the 15-member ANE Research Advisory Council, which convened during its fall retreat on October 6, held in conjunction with the ANE Research Symposium.Composed of volunteer experts, the council steers research efforts that strengthen the global impact of nursing and ensures that frontline nurses’ perspectives are central to advancing healthcare innovations (bit.ly/4hlK7QU).
“The Research Advisory Council’s membership includes perspectives from large health systems and small community hospitals, as well as health policy, professional development, healthcare economics, quality improvement, evidence-based practice, and research methods, all with the singular objective to make nursing research accessible and meaningful to nurses everywhere,” said Cathy Ivory, PhD, NI-BC, NEA-BC, FAAN, FAMIA, associate nurse executive, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Research Advisory Council chair.
The council’s collective contributions play a vital role in shaping research priorities, building capacity for a culture of inquiry, and advancing the visibility and impact of nursing worldwide. Priorities include workforce development, nurse well-being, practice environments, expanding the scope of practice, and demonstrating the value of nursing.
“Each council member uses their unique research expertise and experience to engage in meaningful discussion to advance the profession of nursing. It has been a career highlight to participate in this council, and I’m excited and humbled to serve as the next chair,” said Jen Bonamer, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, NPD-BC, nursing professional development – research specialist, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System.
Innovation in pediatric practice
At the October 7 Research Symposium, ANCC and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma) announced the 2025 recipient of the Sigma/ANCC Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Implementation Grant: an interprofessional team led by Michele DeGrazia, PhD, RN, NNP-BC, FAAN, director of nursing research for the neonatal intensive care unit at Boston Children’s Hospital, and assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.
The project, “Evaluation and Implementation of a Nurse Screening Tool for Infant Safe Sleep in the Inpatient Setting,” aims to increase infant safe sleep adherence in an inpatient hospital setting through multidisciplinary education and implementation of the SAFE-T Tool Version 2 (V2). DeGrazia is joined by an interprofessional team at Boston Children’s Hospital, including Jennifer Gingrasfield, MSN, RN, PNP-BC, co-principal investigator; Alexandra Cole, MPH, program coordinator, and Hangying She, PhD, RN, clinical research assistant (in cardiovascular, critical care, and perioperative patient services); and Laura Berbert, MS, biostatistician, Biostatistics and Research Design Center.
The project will collect data on infant sleep environments. Nurses and multidisciplinary team members will lead education sessions on safe sleep practices and use of the SAFE-T Tool V2, and data will be collected in a sample of infants’ sleep environments. After research is completed,
a safe sleep screening tool will be scaled for use in pediatric inpatient settings across the nation. The tool also will support the American Academy of Pediatrics’ safe sleep practices by modeling them for caregivers during hospitalization.
Investing in credentialing excellence
In support of nurse credentialling research, ANF, in collaboration with ANCC, announced in September the recipients of the Margretta Madden Styles Credentialing Research Grant, awarding $250,000 across three tiers of funding.
“Nurse-led research is at the heart of everything we do at the American Nurses Foundation,” said Graig Eastin, executive director of ANF. “It’s what drives our work to gather the critical financial resources needed to find solutions to some of nursing’s most urgent and complex problems.”
Recipients are:
- Matthew D. McHugh, PhD, JD, MPH, RN, FAAN, and David (Hyunmin) Yu, PhD, RN, AGACNP-BC, CCRN, University of Pennsylvania, Tier 1: Multilevel Evaluation of the Pathway to Excellence Program – $150,000
- Kevin Letz, DNP, MBA, RN, CNE-Ret, FNP-C, ANP-BC, PPCNP-BC, ENP-C, FAANP, American Board of Nursing Specialties, Tier 2: The Value of Specialty Nursing Certification: A Multidimensional Investigation – $75,000
- Julissa Hance, BSN, RN, CMSRN, EBP-C, University of Texas Health Science Center of San Antonio, Tier 3: Aligning the National Sample Survey (NSSRN) with the Pathway to Excellence Framework: Insights from Nurses in PTE and Non-PTE Credentialed Organizations – $25,000
“These projects provide the evidence we need to ensure credentialing continues to evolve in ways that strengthen nursing practice, support workforce well-being, and ultimately improve the safety and quality of care for every patient we serve,” Goettl said.
Fostering innovation and quality
Nursing innovation and research are synergistic. The Institute for Nursing Research and Quality Management has teamed with ANA Innovation to develop the Culture of Innovation and Quality Model, offering strategies to foster innovation and quality in nursing. This model supports both organizational goals and individual professional growth, emphasizing the importance of a culture where staff feel safe to create, innovate, and learn.
The model offers a framework for embedding innovation and quality into the fabric of daily operations, driving sustainable improvements in care and workforce engagement. Read more at mdpi.com/3465894.
Celebrating a milestone
ANE participated as the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) held its 40th Anniversary Scientific Symposium in September, celebrating 4 decades of excellence in nursing research. The celebration highlighted the critical role of nursing research in advancing healthcare.
With federal funding for nursing research in jeopardy, ANA is urging Congress to pass funding for NINR at levels approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee and for NINR to remain its own entity within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the only institute at NIH run by nurses, rather than consolidating it with other institutes.
The road ahead
Nurse-led research, evidence-based practice, and innovation remain central to shaping the future of healthcare. Frontline nurses, researchers, and leaders are driving this change, building a culture of inquiry that will continue to define healthcare excellence.
Watch for coverage of the 2025 Magnet & Pathway Conference™ on ana.org and in upcoming issues of ANA on the Frontline.
Newly appointed ANE Research Advisory Council members
Monique Bouvier, PhD, ARNP, CPNP-PC
Corporate Director, Nursing Science / Assistant Professor, Emory Healthcare & Emory University
Corey Byrge, DNP, RN, PCCN, EBP-C
Director of Nursing Practice Innovation and Magnet Program Director, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center
Katherine (Katie) Hinderer, PhD, RN, CNE, NEA-BC
Senior Nurse Scientist and Associate Chair for Nursing Research, Connecticut Children’s
Dan Kelleher, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Health Services Research, Mayo Clinic
Catherine Kleiner, PhD, RN
Associate Professor, University of Colorado, College of Nursing
Rachelle (Shelly) Lancaster, PhD, RN
Nurse Scientist and Nursing Research Manager, Advocate Health
Annette Nasr, PhD, RN, MPA, NE-BC, FAAN
Nurse Scientist and Associate Professor, Stanford Children’s Hospital and Stanford University School of Medicine
Deanna Reising, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, FAAN, FNAP, ANEF
Professor and System Magnet Coordinator, Indiana University School of Nursing / Indiana University Health
Hyunmin (David) Yu, PhD, RN, AGACNP-BC, CCRN, TCRN
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, University of Pennsylvania
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