A blueprint for nursing innovation centers.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Innovation
• Organizational Development

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic increased demand for healthcare innovation.
• Organizations face challenges balancing daily operations with innovation for relevance and competition.
• Innovation is vital for organizational sustainability and the well-being of staff and clients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of Nursing Innovation Centers in the US.
• To examine colleges without formal centers that incorporate innovation into programs.
• To explore the subjective experience of nursing innovation in academic settings.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving seven colleges of nursing.
• Utilized semi-structured interviews.
• Employed thematic analysis to identify key themes.

Main Results:

• Identified four themes for establishing innovation centers or focus areas.
• Identified six themes crucial for the sustainability and impact of innovation initiatives.
• Developed a working model for innovation centers, including lessons learned, trends, and future recommendations.

Conclusions:

• Provides guidance and a framework for academic and practice organizations to foster innovation.
• Encourages leadership to address biases in faculty hiring, research evaluation, and mentoring to overcome the diversity innovation paradox.