The COVID-19 pandemic continues to reveal unique patient needs that require innovative problem-solving approaches. While a meeting of collaborative experts to solve problems is not novel, the formal inclusion of nurses as content experts at these types of events is less typical. To date, no reports of outcomes related to the inclusion of registered nurses (RNs) with any level of education and certification and in any role at an interprofessional hackathon are found in the extant literature. This article discusses participation of nurses as content experts in hackathon events, with information about principles of innovation, characteristics of innovators, hackathons, and the iterative process. We report methods, results, and include discussion about a descriptive survey study that considered perceptions of interprofessional participants in two hackathons held in 2020. Our analysis adds preliminary information about participants perceptions regarding collaboration with consulting nurses as content experts.

Nurses are continually innovating to fill gaps or inefficiencies within healthcare. This was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when a burst in nurse-led innovation in all areas of healthcare and across the lifespan necessitated an innovation ecosystem to realize nurses' full potential. New ways of thinking and leading the future of nursing have been echoed by the National Academy of Medicine’s Future of Nursing Report 2020-2030, the American Nurses Association (ANA) innovation task force, and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Nurse-led hackathons, incubators, and accelerators have emerged to meet the need for a more intentional and formal pathway for nurses to add value to health and healthcare within an innovation and design thinking framework. This article describes a brief historical background of hackathons, innovation incubators, and innovation accelerators and considers their evolution within the nursing profession, including implications for practice and education.

A qualitative study based on structured interviews with 21 healthcare leaders from CCRC’s, In-Home Care Agencies, or Medicare PACE facilities was conducted. Implications of electronic assisted living technologies on caregiver workforce were assessed. The use of assisted living technology was shown to have implications for workforce support and the alleviation of demands on caregivers. Communication and assessment tools were also found to be useful in the reduction of caregiver stress. There is optimism regarding the effectiveness of high-tech platforms in easing caregiver burden but there is skepticism about the return on investment given the initial cost and time needed for onboarding and data organization. The lack of user-friendliness and the required time to train to use tech are also barriers. The use of technology for remote check-ins and to monitor vitals is desirable. Also predicting dementia risk and monitoring for wandering are other opportunities for tech adoption. The enthusiasm for technology is tempered with caution for who will keep tabs on remote monitoring and who bears the responsibility to respond to the information gathered. Labor shortages, time constraints, and disorganized documentation are incentives for tech adoption. High-tech solutions for would ideally be user-friendly and help reduce staff demands. Except for the prevention of re-hospitalization by monitoring vitals the benefits of adopting new tech are not perceived as cost-effective.