AONL Works to Define Nurse Leader Role in Digital Transformation

Nanne M. Finis, MS, RN 
Samantha Glennon, MSN, RN, NEA-BC
Lori Wightman, DNP, RN, CENP, FAONL

We are on the cusp of a major transformation in health care. Artificial intelligence (AI) promises to be a revolutionary innovation that will greatly impact nursing education and practice. The work concerning the nurse leaders’ role in this transformation could not be timelier — or more critical for the active engagement of nurse leaders. McKinsey & Co. research (Eastburn, et al., 2024) on digital transformation reported that nearly 90% of 200 global health system executives surveyed said a digital and AI transformation is a high or top priority for their organizations. However, at the same time, 75% of respondents reported their organizations are not yet able to deliver on that priority because they have not sufficiently planned or allocated the necessary resources. The voice of the nurse leader is critical in the planning and resource allocations discussions — but how?

It turns out that brainstormed ideas jotted on a cocktail napkin can lead to furthering this work. In 2022, Nanne Finis, MS, RN, and the late Karlene Kerfoot, PhD, RN, two nursing colleagues working in the digital technology field, met to discuss the future direction of nursing leadership and technology. Although working for vendor competitors, they strongly believed that nurse leaders often were excluded from the table when technology decisions affecting the workforce and care delivery were made. Finis and Kerfoot also a shared commitment to changing this paradigm for the future. Their conversation sparked ideas on how to positively impact the direction of nursing and technology.