CNOs and other nurse leaders should be aware of these two pieces of legislation.
So far, 2025 has been a year of chaos for healthcare.
The future of the industry seems uncertain, with large clinical staff strikes and a federal administration that pushes new executive orders on a daily basis.
Now more than ever, it's critical that CNOs and other nurse leaders get involved and advocate for nursing policy. Recently, two bills have come to the forefront: the PRECEPT Nurses Act, and the I CAN Act.
The PRECEPT Nurses Act
The Providing Real-World Education and Clinical Experience by Precepting Tomorrow’s (PRECEPT) Nurses Act is a bipartisan bill introduced by Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02), and it seeks to provide a $2,000 tax credit for nurses who serve as clinical preceptors to nursing students, according to a press release. The goal is to address the nursing shortage by increasing the amount of nursing students who can complete their clinical training under nurse preceptors.
“Mentors are the backbone of nurturing talent and shaping the workforce of tomorrow, and in nursing, preceptors fulfill this essential role,” said Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, president of the American Nurses Association, in the press release. “The PRECEPT Nurses Act is an important step in recognizing the invaluable contributions of nurse preceptors and ensuring they have the support needed to address critical workforce shortages, particularly in underserved areas.
The I CAN Act
The Improving Care and Access to Nurses (I CAN) Act is another bipartisan bill that would remove the federal barriers in Medicare and Medicaid programs that stop APRNs from practicing to the full extent of their clinical education and training, according to another press release. Representatives Dave Joyce (OH-14), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Jen Kiggans (VA-02), and Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) introduced the bill with the goal of increasing patient access to healthcare while lowering costs and improving quality.
“The reintroduction of this bill is a critical step toward expanding health care access across the country," Mensik Kennedy said in the press release. "By removing outdated barriers, it empowers APRNs to provide the care they are trained for—especially in rural and underserved communities where they are often the primary providers."
Here is what CNOs need to know about these two bills.
Preventing workplace violence takes a collaborative effort, says this CNO.
On this episode of HL Shorts, we hear from Linsey Paul, CNO for the Mercy Health Lima Market, about how CNOs can strategize to prevent workplace violence. Tune in to hear her insights.
Virtual nursing is becoming the standard of care, and nurse leaders must prepare for the next evolution.
In the latest edition of HealthLeaders' The Winning Edge webinar series, a panel of nurse leaders discussed what additional technologies can be integrated into your virtual nursing program, and how to optimize it to best support the bedside nurse and be cost effective.
The discussion included four key takeaways: how to individualize the program for the needs of your health system, get nurses involved, choose the right technology, and make the financial case with ROI metrics.
While health systems might be at different stages of implementation, there are several key virtual nursing strategies that CNOs should take into consideration.
Virtual nursing has spread far and wide throughout health systems across the country as it becomes a critical component of patient care, and it's gaining buy-in from nurse leaders everywhere.
While health systems might have different approaches or be at different stages of implementation, there are several common virtual nursing strategies that CNOs should take into consideration.
The panel discussion included four key points about virtual nursing strategy.
Individualize the program
First and foremost, virtual nursing programs should be individualized to fit the needs of a health system. CNOs can begin this process by identifying the problems that the program will work to address, and narrowing down the specific needs of the nurses, patients, and other staff who will be impacted by the program.
Some common goals for virtual nursing include reducing time spent completing administrative tasks such as admissions and discharges, and giving time back to bedside nurses. During a time when nursing shortages are growing, and patient acuity is greater, it's essential that unnecessary tasks and high workload burdens be removed from nurses so they can spend their time caring for patients.
Virtual nursing can offer an avenue for nurses who want to retire or who can't work at the bedside anymore to continue sharing their knowledge and participating in care delivery. Those nurses can then mentor novice nurses as well.
Get nurses involved
The first half of the equation with virtual nursing is the nursing workforce, and getting nurse buy-in is essential. While there might be caution surrounding virtual nursing and its implications, it's up to the CNO to show the positive benefits on both staffing and patients and to bring the nurses into the conversation.
Nurses are well equipped to give the best feedback about workflows and input on what they need to make their jobs easier. Nurses can also help get the word out quickly about new programs, which can greatly help with program adoption, and they can help with testing and troubleshooting. It's important that CNOs listen to the needs of the nurses and work with them to implement the best solutions.
Choose the right technology
The second half of the equation is the virtual nursing technology itself. Determining the right technology for a virtual nursing program begins with having a strong partnership with IT departments and innovation leaders. That partnership creates a strong feedback loop where nurses can help the IT project managers understand what needs to be done, and the IT department can work towards achieving those goals. CNOs should also lean heavily on their CNIOs, since they are able to blend nursing and technology together to come up with the best outcomes.
When selecting what technology to use, CNOs should pilot different technologies and give themselves plenty of time to test things with the understanding that it might not work the first time. The beginning stage of any virtual nursing program offers tremendous learning opportunities. Choosing between carts or fixed, in-room technology will depend heavily on the needs of the department, the nursing unit, and the patients and staff involved.
Make the case
Lastly, CNOs must be able to make a financial case for virtual nursing. This can be difficult because many virtual nursing ROI metrics are considered "soft" metrics, that save "soft dollars." However, there are several concrete metrics that CNOs can look at for positive outcomes, such as reduced admission and discharge times, and better recruitment and retention numbers. Improving discharge information and discharge planning can help reduce readmissions as well.
Other metrics can include nurse engagement, patient experience, and care quality metrics. Patient outcome metrics, such as fall prevention, can also be impacted by virtual nursing, especially with the incorporation of additional technologies. Improving patient outcomes helps reduce costs from negative outcomes.
At nine years old, following a major car accident, Paul recalls the nurse who helped her understand what was happening to her family. It was that emergency department nurse who inspired Paul to go on to become a nurse, and now, a nurse leader.
Paul earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Kent State University and her Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University. Paul then served at Mercy Health St. Rita’s Medical Center in leadership roles and as a frontline nurse in the emergency department.
During the last 11 years, she has served as an acute care and operations director in Mercy Health’s Springfield market, and as patient services operations and ROC director in Mercy Health’s Lima market. Most recently, Paul served as the assistant chief nursing officer for Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center.
In August 2024, Paul stepped into the CNO role for the Mercy Health Lima Market, where she is responsible for overseeing the delivery of nursing operations for the market, which includes oversight of bedside care, nursing quality, and nursing practices for Mercy Health Lima.
On our latest installment of The Exec, HealthLeaders sat down with Paul to discuss her journey into nursing, and her thoughts on trends in the nursing industry. Tune in to hear her insights.
Professional practice models enable health systems to elevate nursing education, practice, and outcomes, says this CNE.
Organizations often have to endure cultural shifts as well as workforce changes, so it's critical that CNOs are able to guide nurses and provide resources to help them adjust accordingly.
Stefanie Beavers, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, chief nurse executive at OU Health, and HealthLeaders Exchange member, recognized the need for resources during OU Health's cultural transformation, which occurred as the organization leaned into its identity as an academic health system.
"I learned very quickly as we walked through, what are the resources for our teams?" Beavers said. "How do we organize within the nursing workforce from the lens of nursing excellence, and what's the definition of nursing excellence?"
The solution, for Beavers, was a professional practice model.
The HealthLeaders Exchange is an executive community for sharing ideas, solutions, and insights. Please join the community at our LinkedIn page.
The 'future' of virtual nursing is here, and nurse leaders must prepare for the next evolution.
Healthcare is constantly changing as new waves of innovation become harder and harder to keep up with. While many health systems are already far along on their virtual nursing journeys, many are still just testing the waters.
Virtual nursing enables health systems to uplift the nursing practice in ways that, until now, were not possible. The invention and integration of virtual care technology gives time back to bedside nurses by removing administrative burdens and streamlining admissions and discharges.
Virtual nurses can take on documentation and spend uninterrupted time with patients, while bedside nurses spend more hands-on time caring for them. Virtual nursing also gives nurses flexible scheduling options, which can be especially beneficial to nurses who have physical limitations or who are burnt out and need a break.
Progress so far
Virtual nursing has come a long way since its inception, and its takeoff in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many health systems started with the "quick and dirty" approach, with just a few iPads and carts, or whatever they had available at the time. Nowadays, many systems are fully outfitted with complete audio and video setups, with integrated built-in cameras and permanent TV monitors.
Steve Klahn, system clinical director for virtual medicine at Houston Methodist, previously told HealthLeaders that within the next five to 10 years, 60% to 70% of nursing positions across the industry will likely become virtual or have a virtual component.
"I'd say well over half," Klahn said, "just with [the] massive growth and expansion over the last two years."
Klahn explained that this is largely due to the response to virtual nursing programs.
"This is going to stick with us for a while," Klahn said, "understandably so, because there's such positive response to programs that are engaging a virtual component or fully virtual."
However, not all health systems have the same bandwidth for investment in virtual nursing. Smaller hospitals and rural health systems often have budget limitations that can make implementing new technologies more difficult.
CNOs and other nurse leaders have an important opportunity to brainstorm ways for health systems with those limitations to implement virtual nursing so that their patients and staff can see the same benefits.
What comes next?
As the nursing workforce continues to evolve, health systems must try and keep up with the latest technological trends to keep patient care innovative and efficient. Virtual nursing offers health systems a way to bridge staffing gaps and bring care workflows to the next level.
The next webinar in our Winning Edge series will explore what additional technologies can be integrated into your virtual nursing program, and how to optimize it to best support the bedside nurse and be cost effective.
AI allows health systems to coordinate technology and improve care delivery, says this CNE.
On this episode of HL Shorts, we hear from Betty Jo Rocchio, chief nurse executive at Advocate Health, about how AI will continue to impact the nursing industry. Tune in to hear her insights.
This model enables OU Health to elevate nursing education, practice, and outcomes, says this CNE.
Foolproof change management processes are essential for CNOs who want to streamline their workforce during times of transition.
Organizations often have to endure cultural shifts as well as workforce changes, so it's critical that CNOs are able to guide nurses and provide resources to help them adjust accordingly.
Stefanie Beavers, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, chief nurse executive at OU Health, and HealthLeaders Exchange member, recognized the need for resources during OU Health's cultural transformation, which occurred as the organization leaned into its identity as an academic health system.
"I learned very quickly as we walked through, what are the resources for our teams?" Beavers said. "How do we organize within the nursing workforce from the lens of nursing excellence, and what's the definition of nursing excellence?"
The solution, for Beavers, was a professional practice model.
The concept
A professional practice model, according to Beavers, is an evidence-based practice that aligns organizational values with a framework driven by research and outcomes. The goal is to elevate nursing excellence and patient outcomes, but also to solidify the identity of the organization's teams.
The OU Health Nursing Professional Practice Model was developed based on the Joanne Duffy Quality Caring Model, so that the organization could take caring behaviors and integrate them into OU Health’s values.
"As we led this initiative, I wanted to make sure that we did not confuse the workforce," Beavers said, "[and that] we didn't confuse our nursing teams and create this whole different grouping or parallel model that was outside of our organizational values."
According to Beavers, this strategy followed the streamlining and establishment of OU Health's mission, vision, and core values.
"It was important to me that our nurses could find their identity," Beavers said, "and we took those caring behaviors from the Dr. Duffy model, and we wove them in."
Defining values
Beavers explained that, first and foremost, patients come first at OU Health.
"They're at the core and center of everything that we do," Beavers said.
The dedication to relentless excellence, integrity, practicing in a space of inclusion, teamwork, and learning are also critical core values, according to Beavers.
"We took the professional practice model as our guiding light and really [asked,] what is our identity as [the nursing workforce] within the organization?" Beavers said. "What is the brand of OU Health nursing, and how do we show up, and then how does that translate to our care delivery?"
The next step was to spread the word about the professional practice model to the nurses.
"How do they know the expectations?" Beavers said. "How do they know this is the professional identity that we live in the organization?"
According to Beavers, they incorporated the model into all clinical orientations and did a huge roll out with emphasis on elevating the professional practice of nursing.
"A lot of questions always come up around Magnet designation, and what I tend to tell people is the Magnet designation is one aspect," Beavers said. "Nursing excellence is a continual journey."
OU Health has also worked to line up the layers of nursing leadership and intertwined the professional practice model with the AONL core competencies of leaders.
"We take it and translate for the bedside nurse with our values and those caring behaviors," Beavers said, "but then we actually elevate it even more for our leaders, and say, 'okay, what are the core competencies of leaders in the organization? What are our standards through AONL? And then how does that actually look in practice?'"
Outcomes
Beavers said there have been several positive outcomes from implementing the professional practice model. With the organization in a continual state of evolution, OU Health has been able to more accurately define standards and processes in nursing.
The next step is determining how to improve processes and define what high reliability looks like in the organization, according to Beavers. It's about having all the tools come together to define the culture, which should be one of engagement.
"I always say, if your nurses are not engaged, it's really hard to propel a healthcare organization forward," Beavers said. "They become the backbone because they are that constant at the bedside, right? Every discipline has to wrap around them."
OU Health has seen massive improvements in quality performance, fall reduction, and stabilization of quality outcomes and data-driven metrics. The organization has also seen huge workforce initiatives, including a partnership with the University of Oklahoma College of Nursing.
"This professional practice model has been an opportunity to really dive in and help as students come in, even to identify [transition to practice processes]," Beavers said. "What does it look like to be successful as a nurse, and what does it look like to be a professional nurse?"
OU Health has employed a student model in the organization as well. When students come in, they can work as employed students, and they can participate in jobs like a nurse tech role. This way, OU Health is setting the stage for professional practice, while also helping students identify where they want to work as a nurse.
"We're matching them to those spaces so that they can actually transition to practice through their clinical expertise, their nurse tech roles, focusing those shifts in the area that they think they want to work in as a nurse," Beavers said.
The students can acclimate to professional practice in real time, and are gaining experience in the environment they want to spend their careers in.
"We set the stage with our professional practice model. Now, here we paint, 'what does your career journey look like?'" Beavers said. "It allows us to elevate the core of the organization through academic practice, but also helps people to see, as we've been through all of these changes in the past, we are a stable organization."
The HealthLeaders Exchange is an executive community for sharing ideas, solutions, and insights. Please join the community at our LinkedIn page.
