For many people, the phrase “nurse innovator” sounds unusual and uncommon. But it certainly should not be the case. In April 2024, I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Tina Gustin at the MidAtlantic Telehealth Resource Center conference. We started talking, and I knew I had to engage Tina as a speaker for our Advisory5 community.
As a nurse innovator, associate professor, and director of the Center for Telehealth Innovation, Education, and Research, Dr. Gustin brings a wealth of experience and passion to the table. Let’s dive into the key insights from 5 nurse driven innovations she shared.
One: Innovation in Homeless Healthcare
Dr. Gustin’s journey into innovation began with a simple yet powerful idea: a nurse-led integrated clinic embedded within homeless shelters. This project aimed to address the healthcare needs of one of the most underserved populations. Facing numerous challenges, Dr. Gustin and her team persevered and found remarkable success. In just one year, their clinic saved a local hospital $3 million by providing efficient, targeted care.
“At the clinic, we were running three days a week through our local hospital,” Dr. Gustin explained. “We pulled the data and realized we were saving the hospital millions. That was just one year of work.”
This project highlighted the importance of tackling healthcare disparities and showed how nurse-led initiatives can drive substantial cost savings while delivering high-quality care.
Two: Leveraging Technology for Improved Healthcare Access
Innovation often involves leveraging technology in creative ways. Dr. Gustin described her work on developing kiosks equipped with artificial intelligence to provide symptom checking and telehealth access in shelters. This project emerged from the need to offer continuous care even when healthcare providers were not physically present.
“We’re working with the federal government to develop kiosks that can give immediate health advice based on symptoms,” she shared. “It’s about providing accessible care to those who need it most.”
These kiosks, powered by AI and natural language processing, allow users to describe their symptoms and receive appropriate guidance—whether it’s self-care advice, a telehealth consultation, or a recommendation to visit the emergency department. This project exemplifies how technology can bridge gaps in healthcare access and deliver timely, personalized care.
Three: Innovative Approaches in Emergency Care
A striking example of simple yet effective innovation is the wristband system Dr. Gustin’s team implemented for homeless ER patients. This idea came from recognizing the difficulty in tracking and providing continuous care to this transient population. By giving patients wristbands that indicated their participation in the clinic’s program, healthcare providers could immediately identify and prioritize their needs.
“We developed bracelets that were simple but powerful,” Dr. Gustin noted. “They helped us track patients in the EHR and ensure they received the care they needed.”
This system streamlined patient identification and care continuity, significantly improving the efficiency of emergency services and the overall patient experience.
Four: Advancements in Pediatric Care
Dr. Gustin’s innovative spirit also extends to pediatric care. She described the development of an autonomous robot designed to enhance the hospital experience for children. Inspired by a family’s comment about their child’s need for engagement, Dr. Gustin collaborated with the Virginia Modeling, Analysis, and Simulation Center to create a robot that interacts with young patients, providing comfort and distraction during their hospital stay.
“Fast forward three years, and we now have an autonomous robot for children in hospitals,” she shared with pride. “It’s in the early stages of testing, but the feedback has been incredibly positive.”
This robot not only helps alleviate the stress and boredom of hospitalization for children but also represents the potential for technology to transform pediatric care environments.
Five: Encouraging Innovation in Nursing Education
Dr. Gustin’s commitment to innovation extends to her role as an educator. At her school, she organizes annual hackathons where nursing students tackle real-world healthcare problems using advanced technology. This event encourages students to think creatively and develop practical solutions that can be implemented in clinical settings.
“We give them a problem, a telehealth device, and two hours to solve it,” Dr. Gustin explained. “The students absolutely love it. It pushes them to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions.”
By fostering an innovative mindset among nursing students, Dr. Gustin ensures that the next generation of healthcare professionals is equipped to continue driving progress in the field.
For health tech entrepreneurs and internal innovators in hospital systems, Dr. Gustin’s insights offer valuable inspiration. Her work demonstrates that with determination, collaboration, and a willingness to embrace new technologies, significant improvements in healthcare delivery are possible, and we should never underestimate nurse driven innovation.
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