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PHILADELPHIA -- The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing has released a free guide designed to help nursing schools and health care institutions establish nurse-led innovation accelerators aimed at turning ideas from nurses into practical health care solutions.
The open-source blueprint, developed with support from the Bedford Falls Foundation, outlines a framework for creating programs that provide funding, mentorship and business education to nurses seeking to develop new approaches to patient care and workforce challenges.
"Innovation does not happen in a vacuum; it requires a deliberate ecosystem of institutional support and expert mentorship," Antonia M. Villarruel, dean of Penn Nursing, said in a statement.
The guide recommends three key components for accelerator programs: financial support for pilot projects and administration, mentorship from entrepreneurs and industry experts, and education in topics such as intellectual property, budgeting and market strategy.
It also describes a three-stage application process beginning with written proposals, followed by interviews and a final public pitch competition.
Penn Nursing developed the model after operating its own accelerator program, which has supported projects focused on improving nursing practice and workforce well-being.
Examples include an artificial intelligence-assisted platform designed to help frontline nurses share workplace concerns, a toolkit to improve the transition of new nurses into practice, customized well-being plans for nursing units, and a predictive analytics platform intended to help nurse managers identify early signs of staff burnout.
The guide also encourages institutions to partner with information technology, legal and innovation offices to support participants through product development and intellectual property issues.
Penn officials said the blueprint is intended to help other nursing schools and health care organizations create similar programs to encourage nurse-led innovation and address workforce and patient care challenges.