Nurse leaders discuss lessons learned from cyberattack

University Medical Center Health System nursing leaders discuss how teamwork, workforce resilience and a commitment to high-quality care helped UMC overcome a ransomware cyberattack in September 2024 that disrupted access to all electronic health records and computer systems essential to patient care for nearly two months. Writing in the Voice of Nursing Leadership March issue, the leaders say the Lubbock, Texas-based system transitioned to a paper-based system, enabling teams to continue recording patient information, managing treatments and ensuring care continuity. The authors encourage other leaders to prepare for processes using paper documentation in the event of a cyberattack. UMC’s preparedness strategies include raising security awareness and cyber vigilance to minimize risk and completing drills with mock cyberattacks to prepare staff.