Cultivating an Optimal Environment for Nursing Innovation

Authors

• Kristen L. Fessele, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• Urmeka T. Jefferson, Rush University
• Dora L. Clayton-Jones, Marquette UniversityFollow
• Alvin D. Jeffery, Vanderbilt University
• Virginia LeBaron, University of Virginia School of Nursing
• Jean Edward, University of Kentucky
• Dawn T. Bounds, University of California - Irvine
• Christi Zuber, Aspen Labs Network
• Alfonse J. Fritz, Marquette University
• Roschelle Fritz, Stanford University Department of Medicine

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-2026

Publisher

Elsevier

Source Publication

Nursing Outlook

Source ISSN

0029-6554

Abstract

Nurses are uniquely positioned as frontline caregivers and researchers to identify gaps in patient care and find innovative solutions to resolve persistent problems and thereby improve patient outcomes. However, promoting an innovative mindset has not been prioritized in nursing education or practice. This article examines strategies for fostering optimal innovation environments through organizational, individual, and partnership capacity building, drawing insights from the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators. The fellowship program has selected 65 diverse nurse leaders from across the nation to compose five cohorts training to enhance their ability to lead innovations that will improve care across multiple settings. Applications of CommSense technology, Leveling Up Through Simulation, and the SPECTACULAR tool in fellowship projects are presented to illustrate how they support innovation to improve health. Fostering nursing innovation requires a multifaceted approach, including opportunities for interdisciplinary partnerships and learning about innovation frameworks and entrepreneurship.

Comments

Accepted version. Nursing Outlook, Vol. 73, No. 6 (March 2026). DOI. © 2026 The Authors.

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Fessele, Kristen L.; Jefferson, Urmeka T.; Clayton-Jones, Dora L.; Jeffery, Alvin D.; LeBaron, Virginia; Edward, Jean; Bounds, Dawn T.; Zuber, Christi; Fritz, Alfonse J.; and Fritz, Roschelle, "Cultivating an Optimal Environment for Nursing Innovation" (2026). College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications. 1091.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/nursing_fac/1091