The Smart Care Team Spotlight

Simulation is redefining how nurses learn, collaborate, and step into emerging roles across the entire care continuum.  In this episode, Dr. Susan Kilroy, inaugural Endowed Professor in Healthcare Simulation and Innovation at Villanova University’s Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, discusses her unconventional path from business student and injured college athlete to pediatric nurse, educator, and national simulation leader. She describes how precepting in the NICU sparked her love of teaching and how early mock codes in Chicago hospitals grew into a research-backed, interprofessional simulation program that improved confidence and teamwork in emergencies. Dr. Kilroy outlines Villanova’s vision for a reimagined sim center featuring an immersive 3D “street-to-OR-to-home” environment, AI-enabled VR headsets for independent practice with real-time feedback, and control-room and ambient analytics that strengthen clinical judgment rather than replace it. She also explores virtual nursing and care-coordination models, the impact of technology on access and cost, and the importance of using AI wisely while keeping eyes and hands on the patient. Finally, Sue calls for stronger bridges between academia and health systems so students, new grads, and practicing clinicians can learn together across settings.  Tune in and learn how simulation, AI, and new care models are reshaping nursing education and practice! About Sue Kilroy: Susan Kilroy, PhD, RN, CHSE, is a nationally recognized leader in simulation-based nursing education and the inaugural holder of the Kreider Endowed Professorship in Health Care Simulation and Innovation at Villanova University’s M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing. With a career defined by scholarship, innovation, and strategic leadership, she is advancing the college’s simulation initiatives, strengthening partnerships, and expanding Villanova’s presence in the national and international simulation community.  Before joining Villanova, Dr. Kilroy served as Associate Professor and Director of the Paley Interprofessional Simulation Lab at Temple University and previously led the launch of the M. Christine Schwartz Experiential Learning and Simulation Laboratory at the University of Illinois Chicago, earning honors such as the Dean’s Faculty Catalyst Award and recognition as a Pinnacle Nurse Leader.  Her funded research explores the use of simulation to assess interprofessional collaboration, clinical skill development, and community-level factors such as bias, racism, and social determinants of health in care for underserved populations. A widely published scholar and invited speaker, Dr. Kilroy brings deep expertise supported by a second degree accelerated BSN from Villanova, a PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Illinois Chicago, an MSN from Gonzaga University, and a BS in Business from Mount Saint Mary’s College. Resources: Connect with and follow Sue Kilroy on LinkedIn. Follow Villanova University's M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing on LinkedIn and explore their website! Learn more about the SIMULATION INSTITUTE 2026 here. Discover more about the Annual Research Symposium here.

Unlocking the future of nursing and healthcare technology! In this episode of the Smart Care Team Spotlight, Ani Bilazarian discusses ways to enhance nurse retention and improve patient care through technology and effective management practices. She highlights how gaps in care coordination lead to ER overuse for patients with complex chronic conditions and how tools like AI, telehealth, and robotics can help ease nurse workload. Ani also emphasizes the value of bedside skills and proactive networking for advancing nursing careers. Tune in to learn how innovation and strategy can transform the nursing experience!

Nurses are not a cost to the system—they are the system’s greatest source of value. In this episode, Dr. Olga Yakusheva, economist and professor at Johns Hopkins University, explores how the Nursing Human Capital Value Model redefines the economics of healthcare by recognizing nurses as value creators who drive patient outcomes and financial sustainability. She also discusses the role of AI in supporting nurses by automating administrative tasks, thereby freeing them to focus on human connection. Tune in and learn how reimagining the economics of nursing can reshape healthcare for good!

Transforming healthcare through collaboration and innovation! In this episode of the Smart Care Team Spotlight, Dr. Lori Wightman, Regional Chief Nursing Officer for Trinity Health’s Ohio Market and Professor of Practice at Washington University in St. Louis, explores how nurses and engineers can collaborate to redesign healthcare systems that truly improve patient care. She emphasizes the importance of building technology on strong, human-centered foundations and utilizing tools like AI and workflow redesign to alleviate caregiver burden. Dr. Wightman also shares her “Three C’s” of leadership, Courage, Creativity, and Commitment, as a guide for the future of nursing innovation. Tune in to hear how Dr. Wightman is helping lead the next era of technology-driven, compassionate care!

How can technology transform nursing without losing the human touch that defines patient care? In this episode of the Smart Care Team Spotlight, Dr. Nancy Beale emphasizes the need to involve clinicians in technology design, bridge technical capabilities with clinical needs, and foster critical thinking skills as AI and digital tools reshape nursing. She shares her priorities of reducing administrative burdens, standardizing practices, and building AI on accurate data while urging nurses to remain lifelong learners rooted in patient advocacy and view technology as a tool to enhance the human elements of care. Join us as Dr. Nancy Beale shares her years of insight on bridging clinical expertise and cutting-edge innovation, revealing how nurses can thrive in AI.

Bridging the gap between nursing and engineering is vital to creating impactful healthcare innovations. In this episode, Kelly Landsman, biomedical engineer and registered nurse, discusses the profound benefits of merging nursing insights with engineering solutions to drive patient-centered healthcare. She highlights critical issues like involving nurses early in technology design, leveraging simulation labs for real-world testing, and maintaining trust and humanity as AI increasingly enters clinical practice. Kelly underscores the essential role nurses play in shaping effective healthcare technology and workflows, advocating for curiosity, collaboration, and courage among nurses and healthcare leaders.  Tune in and learn how nurses and engineers together can revolutionize healthcare delivery!

AI is no longer an emerging technology in healthcare—it’s becoming a foundational tool transforming how care is delivered. In this episode, Kristy Fogle discusses how her journey from emergency medicine to digital health leadership has led to the creation of virtual nursing programs that ease burdens on clinical staff while improving outcomes. She also shares key lessons from piloting and expanding these programs, the role of AI in streamlining documentation and care decisions, and the importance of involving clinicians in designing tech solutions. Tune in and learn how virtual nursing, predictive analytics, and AI-driven workflows shape the future of compassionate, efficient healthcare!

What happens when a nurse sits at the design table and changes the future of healthcare? In the Smart Care Team Spotlight episode, Dr. Debbie Gregory shares her journey from clinical nursing to healthcare design after recognizing that nurses were often excluded from critical decisions shaping care environments. She emphasizes the need for nurses to lead in integrating technologies like AI and virtual nursing, set practice standards, and drive innovation in smart hospital design. Tune in as Dr. Debbie Gregory shares how nurses can lead innovation in smart hospital design, from virtual care to AI-powered workflows!

Nurses must be involved in the decision-making process regarding technology implementation to ensure that it truly meets the needs of clinicians and patients.  In this episode, Claire Zangerle shares her journey into nursing leadership and the importance of giving nurses a voice in decision-making. She highlights AONL's digital transformation principles, the evolving roles of nurses in virtual care, and the need to embrace AI as a tool while maintaining critical thinking and curiosity. Tune in and learn how nurse leaders can leverage technology to enhance patient care and create more efficient workflows!

Ambient AI can ease documentation and capture real-time care data in high-pressure settings like flight nursing, freeing clinicians to focus on patients. In this episode, Kolby Kolbet, Chief Innovation Officer at Life Link III, discusses his unique journey from EMS and mortuary science to flight nursing and his current innovation leadership role. He details the demanding world of air medical transport, highlighting the challenges of real-time documentation and information capture during critical incidents. Kolby shares how his organization is pioneering the use of ambient AI to automate note-taking, improve data accuracy during flights, and potentially enhance patient handoffs, despite technical hurdles like audio capture and connectivity. He also addresses the vital role of change management, involving frontline staff in innovation, and the need to prioritize new technologies based on patient safety, cost, and sustainability. Tune in and learn why upskilling in AI is crucial for nurses and how technology can augment, not replace, critical thinking and patient advocacy!

AI and technology can enhance healthcare in the OR by reducing distractions and enabling clinicians to work at the top of their licenses.  In this episode, Dr. Josh Wymer shares his journey from nursing school to the Navy and his current work serving Missourians and leading the AORN Task Force on AI in perioperative care. He emphasizes the vital role of nurses, the importance of ethical AI, and the potential of technology to support the workforce, protect patient autonomy, and improve surgical outcomes through smarter, more collaborative care. Tune in and learn how AI and technology can empower care teams to deliver more human-centered care!

What happens when a nurse blends clinical experience with cutting-edge technology? You get innovation that actually works for the people delivering care. In this episode of the Smart Care Team Spotlight, Dr. Kelly Aldrich, Professor of Nursing Informatics and Director of Innovation at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and founder of Mindful Immersive Nursing Demonstration Lab, shared her journey from bedside nursing to becoming a pioneer in nursing informatics, driven by her desire to improve clinical workflows and reduce errors through technology. Her work led to innovations like automating vital sign documentation and creating smart rooms, all rooted in listening to nurses’ real frustrations. At the Center for Medical Interoperability, she tackled medical device integration and helped advance the use of a unique nurse identifier to quantify nursing contributions and improve patient outcomes. At Vanderbilt, she now leads initiatives like prescribing immersive technologies for nursing education, using VR, AI-driven avatars, and even mindfulness tools to enhance learning and well-being. Across all her efforts, she emphasizes the importance of nurses driving the adoption of technology that truly supports their thought flow, care environments, and professional growth. Tune in for a conversation with Dr. Kelly Aldrich as she shares how nurses can lead the way in designing tech that improves outcomes, supports learning, and transforms care environments!

Imagine a world where technology not only supports but transforms the way nurses deliver care. In this episode of the Smart Care Team Spotlight, Dr. Jason Fratzke discusses his transition from clinical nursing to nursing informatics, driven by a passion for integrating technology into patient care. He emphasizes the importance of human connection in healthcare, especially amidst rapid technological advancements, and advocates for preparing nurses to adapt to new tools while focusing on patient-centered care. Tune in for powerful insights on innovation, leadership, and the future of patient-centered care!

How can AI transform nursing and improve patient care? In this episode of the Smart Care Team Spotlight, Dr. Martin Michalowski, School of Nursing Foundation research professor, a co-director of the Center for Nursing Informatics, and a co-leader of the Digital Health Lab at the University of Minnesota, discusses the intersection of AI and nursing, emphasizing its potential to enhance clinical decision-making, patient engagement, and education. He highlights the role of AI in addressing multimorbidity, reducing documentation burdens through multimodal large language models (MLLMs), and improving workflow efficiency for nurses. Michalowski stresses that nurses must actively participate in AI development to ensure technology aligns with real-world challenges rather than being imposed as an afterthought. He acknowledges ethical concerns, biases, and the risk of overreliance on AI but advocates for nurses to develop core competencies in AI to effectively integrate it into healthcare. Ultimately, he urges nurses to view AI as a tool for augmentation, not replacement, and to embrace hands-on learning to drive meaningful innovation in patient care. Tune in to explore how AI is revolutionizing nursing by enhancing decisions, easing documentation, and driving innovation in healthcare!

The future of nursing is evolving rapidly, and innovation is the key to transforming patient care and the profession itself. In this episode of the Smart Care Team Spotlight, Dr. Oriana Beaudet discusses the critical role of innovation in reducing burdens on nurses, enhancing patient care, and addressing workforce challenges. She highlights how advancements in AI, virtual nursing, and ambient monitoring are transforming workflows while the American Nurses Enterprise is shaping the future of nursing through policy, research, and advocacy, urging nurses to embrace the updated 2025 Code of Ethics as a guiding resource.  Tune in for groundbreaking insights on how technology, policy, and ethics are shaping the next era of nursing!

Empowering nurses through technology is crucial for improving patient care and addressing workforce challenges.  In this episode, Dr. Brian Weirich, Chief Nursing Innovation Officer for Bon Secours Mercy Health, discusses his journey from bedside nursing to healthcare innovation, emphasizing the need for technology to ease nurses’ workload and enhance their ability to provide quality care. He shares his experiences with tech startups, including developing a virtual assistant for nurses and addressing clinical gaps with innovative solutions. Dr. Weirich highlights the importance of automating physical tasks, augmenting clinical decision-making with AI-driven nudges, and reducing the documentation burden to free up nurses' time. He envisions a future where ambient technology and smart rooms seamlessly integrate into care, allowing for real-time documentation and more patient-focused interaction. Finally, he encourages nurses to actively participate in technology implementation and to embrace new tools that can transform the profession. Tune in and learn how technology can empower nurses and revolutionize patient care!

How can nurses harness innovation and technology while staying rooted in empathy and human connection? In this episode of the Smart Care Team Spotlight, Tamara AL-Yassin shares her inspiring journey from clinical nursing to entrepreneurship. She highlights the creation of The Nursing Beat, a digital newsletter supporting clinicians with nurse-centered content. She emphasizes the importance of technology in enhancing nursing efficiency and patient outcomes while advocating for the irreplaceable value of empathy and human connection in care. Tune in as Tamara AL-Yassin, CEO of The Nursing Beat, shares her inspiring journey from clinical nursing to leading a digital platform that empowers healthcare professionals with the latest innovations and insights!

Nurses are vital innovators in healthcare, uniquely positioned to shape the future of patient care through their expertise and insights. In this episode of the Smart Care Team Spotlight, Dr. Marla Weston discusses her extensive career dedicated to enhancing the nursing practice environment and patient care. She emphasizes the need for nurses to be involved in the early development of healthcare technology solutions. She also highlights the importance of embracing artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance decision-making, addresses the underfunding of innovative nursing ideas, and encourages nurses to recognize their intellectual contributions to navigate the evolving healthcare landscape effectively. Tune in to explore nurses' transformative role in healthcare innovation and discover how their insights are shaping the future of patient care!

In a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, uniting technology with compassionate care is key to empowering nurses and enhancing patient outcomes. In this Smart Care Team Spotlight episode, Andrea Hauser emphasizes improving healthcare efficiency and patient outcomes through key initiatives like standardizing electronic health records and implementing a virtual nursing model. She also advocates for empowering nurses, utilizing technology as a support tool, and focusing on patient-centered, empathetic care. Tune in and explore how Emplify Health is transforming healthcare by empowering frontline nurses, breaking down silos, and reimagining patient care through innovative technology and compassionate leadership!

Amid rapid advancements in health technology, how can we ensure innovations truly meet the needs of nurses and patients on the front lines? In this Smart Care Team Spotlight episode, Victoria Tiase explores how technology and data-driven insights can bridge the gap between nursing research and practice to address workload, burnout, and care delivery. Having transitioned to academia during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Tiase is now leading a digital health initiative to leverage electronic health records and advanced technology to optimize nursing tasks, enhance education, and prepare the profession for the future of healthcare. Tune in and learn how technology, research, and practical solutions can empower nurses to bridge gaps in patient care and drive meaningful change in healthcare!