Development and Implementation of a Policy Hackathon to Address Nursing Staffing Issues

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Policy
• Nursing Workforce Development
• Public Health Initiatives

Background:

• The global nursing workforce shortage presents a significant barrier to effective healthcare delivery.
• There is an urgent need for innovative policy solutions to address this growing crisis.
• Nurse-led initiatives are crucial for developing sustainable healthcare strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail a pioneering nurse-led policy hackathon focused on addressing the nursing workforce shortage.
• To showcase the collaborative development of actionable policy solutions by diverse stakeholders.
• To highlight the impact of nurse-led innovation on healthcare policy and workforce sustainability.

Main Methods:

• A 3-day policy hackathon was organized by the American Nurses Association-Ohio Public Policy Committee and Miami University.
• 120 participants, including nurses, students, legislators, and healthcare leaders, collaborated across four tracks: acute care, chronic care, public health, and nursing education.
• Teams used a structured framework to generate policy briefs and pitches addressing root causes of the nursing shortage.

Main Results:

• Winning proposals focused on optimizing clinical documentation, addressing nursing faculty shortages via state initiatives, expanding aging-in-place programs, and enhancing public health nursing recruitment and retention.
• The hackathon successfully generated creative, collaborative, and data-driven policy solutions.
• Outcomes have already begun to influence policy discussions and shape healthcare strategies.

Conclusions:

• Collaborative innovation, particularly nurse-led initiatives, holds significant potential for crafting effective healthcare policies.
• The hackathon demonstrated a viable model for addressing complex healthcare challenges like workforce shortages.
• These nurse-generated policies are vital for improving healthcare delivery and ensuring long-term workforce sustainability.