A study of Indiana University Health's spirit of inquiry and innovation during COVID

• Published in: Nursing outlook Vol. 70; no. 1; pp. 137 - 144
• Main Authors: Carpenter, Janet S., Draucker, Claire B., Ellis, Rebecca J. Bartlett, Ferren, Melora D., Gilbert, Jason H., Newhouse, Robin P., Von Ah, Diane
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-01-2022
• Subjects: Adult; Clinical care; Communication; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diffusion of Innovation; Female; Hospitals; Humans; Indiana; Male; Nursing innovation; Nursing leadership; Occupational Health; Pandemic; Patient Care - standards; Patient Education as Topic; Personal Protective Equipment - supply & distribution; Qualitative; Surveys and Questionnaires; Universities; Indiana; COVID-19; PPE; Pandemic; Clinical care; Nursing leadership; Qualitative; research; Nursing innovation
• ISSN: 0029-6554; 1528-3968
• DOI: 10.1016/j.outlook.2021.06.019

•Nurses conceived multiple innovations during the first COVID-19 surge.•Nurses rapidly implemented innovations into practice.•Nurses desire additional innovations.
COVID-19 has required nursing innovations to meet patient care needs not previously encountered.
The purpose of this study was to describe nursing innovations conceived, implemented, and desired during the first COVID-19 surge.
The investigators invited registered nurses employed across 16 Midwest hospitals (6,207) to complete the survey. Respondents provided demographics and written descriptions of innovations they conceived, witnessed, and desired. Investigators analyzed text responses using standard content analytic procedures and summarized quantitative demographics using percentages.
Nurses reported seven types of innovations that would (a) improve personal protective equipment (PPE), (b) limit the need to repeatedly don and doff PPE, (c) ensure safer practice, (d) conserve and access supplies, (e) provide patient and family education and support, (f) make team member communication more efficient, and (g) improve peer support.
Nurses are in a unique position to generate innovative solutions to meet patient care needs under adverse and rapidly changing situations.