Imagine a healthcare system where the nursing staff has input into strategic initiatives that not only deliver exceptional patient care but also drive a $64.1 million financial impact. This is the result at Akron, Ohio-based Summa Health following the implementation of a comprehensive nursing strategic plan centered around a vision to elevate the practice of nursing, improve patient, clinician and organizational outcomes, and ensure nursing's contributions are aligned with overall organizational objectives.
By aligning nursing initiatives with broader organizational goals, this nursing strategic plan paved the way for improved patient, clinician, and organizational outcomes, operational efficiency and financial impact — transforming and elevating the practice of nursing to become a powerhouse of value and innovation.
The first step was to create a nursing vision in alignment with the organization's mission. After a thorough organizational assessment, the Convergent Care Theory was used to categorize and organize the focus areas to transform nursing practice through teamwork and interprofessional collaboration.
The four priorities for nursing included all-inclusive organizational care, interprofessional collaborative care, person-centered precision care, and patients’ and healthcare professional self-care. Beginning in 2022, goals were executed ensuring focus on the measurable outcomes that directly impacted the organization's financial performance.
Significant goals included:
- Creation of The Center for Clinical Inquiry, a dual operating system to promote and support change
- Leadership development to implement change
- Restructuring of hospital nursing department based on span of control
- Re-design and implementation of an evidence-based nursing professional governance structure
Creating these measurable goals led to a cultural change that provided clear direction and purpose, which aligned individual and organizational actions with shared values. Our nurses gained a new sense of focus and motivation, supporting and encouraging them to adopt new behaviors and best practices that elevated the practice of nursing. Additionally, these measurable goals allowed our progress to be tracked, reinforced our commitment to change, and created a culture of competence, compassion, accountability and trust.
Significant outcomes included:
- First year nurse turnover rate decreased from 26% in 2022 to 13% in 2024.
- Overall nursing turnover rate decreased from 19% in 2022 to 12% in 2024 saving approximately $9.4 million.
- Agency spend decreased by $43 million from 2022 to 2024.
- Nine evidence-based practice initiatives were implemented over two years which demonstrated a $6.8 million cost avoidance.
By aligning nursing strategic initiatives with the organization's mission using a systematic approach to drive change, our nurses played a pivotal role in achieving patient, clinician and organizational outcomes. Remaining focused on improving care delivery and nurse engagement led to a significant impact on our organization and the community we serve.
This article was written by Penelope Gorsuch DNP, RN, Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive; Karrie Boss DNP, RN, APRN, System Drector of Evidence-based Practice & Bonnie Jensen DNP, RN, Chief Nursing Officer of hospitals at Summa Health