CNOs offer strategies to reduce nurse strain

AONL member Kathleen Sanford, DBA, RN, was among four chief nursing officers (CNOs) who recently spoke with Becker’s Hospital Review about immediate ways to reduce nurse strain. Their suggestions included performing an "audit" of nurses' jobs to assess which duties could be shifted to other staffers or done virtually; using video and other remote technologies to monitor patients; replacing call centers with smartphones; streamlining documentation; and looking for opportunities to retain the expertise of experienced nurses who are considering leaving the field. The CNOs said these steps should also be applied to support nurse managers and leaders. Sanford, a former AONL board president, is executive vice president and CNO of Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health. (Becker’s Hospital Review article, 1/20/22)