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41 NURSING SPOTLIGHT 10 healthcare execs share predictions for nursing in the next 5 years By Kelly Gooch T he pandemic put nurses on the front lines of the battle against COVID-19 and caused shis in the way they provide care. During this year, nurses have adapted to increased adoption of tele- health and virtual patient monitoring, as well as constantly evolving staffing needs. ese factors — and others, such as the physical and emotional con- ditions nurses have faced due to the public health crisis — are sure to affect nursing in the years to come. Here, 10 healthcare executives and leaders share their predictions for nursing in the next five years. Editor's note: Responses were edited lightly for length and clarity. Beverly Bokovitz, DNP, RN. Vice President and Chief Nurse Execu- tive of UC Health (Cincinnati): In the next five years, as we continue to encounter a national nursing shortage, I expect to see additional innovative strategies to complement the care provided at the bedside. One of these strategies will be some type of robot-assisted care. From delivery of medications to answering call lights — and completing simple tasks like needing a blanket or requesting that the heat be ad- justed — we will see more electronic solutions. ese solutions will allow for a better patient experience and help to exceed the expecta- tions of our patients as customers. Of course, nothing can take the place of skilled and compassionate bedside care, but many tasks could be automated — and will be — to supplement the professional nursing shortage. Natalia Cineas, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive of NYC Health + Hospitals (New York City): Nurses will continue to play a vital role in addressing the health inequities and social determinants of health among vulnerable populations as the nursing workforce itself becomes more diverse and inclusive. As the largest segment of the healthcare workforce — with some 4 million nurses active in the U.S. — nurses represent the faces of the com- munities in which they serve. As America becomes a more diverse and inclusive society, so too will the nursing profession become more diverse and inclusive. Currently, industry estimates indicate that between one quarter to one-third of all U.S. nurses identify as a member of a minority group, with between 19 percent and 24 per- cent of U.S. nurses identifying themselves as Black/African-Ameri- can; 5 percent to 9 percent identifying themselves as Hispanic; and about 3 percent identifying themselves as Asian. e percentage of minority nurses has been rising steadily for the past two decades and is expected to continue to climb in the coming years. Blacks and underserved minority populations face numerous genet- ic, environmental, cultural and socioeconomic factors that account for health disparities, and the impact is particularly visible in the areas of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, pregnancy and childbirth mortality, and cancer outcomes, as well as the enormous toll of the current novel coronavirus global pandemic, where communities of color have been among the hardest hit populations. In New York City alone, statistics compiled by the city's health de- partment show Blacks and Hispanics together account for 65 percent of all COVID-19 cases; represented 70 percent of all hospitalizations due to COVID-19; and, sadly, 68 percent of all deaths caused by COVID-19. As demonstrated during this pandemic, in the future, technology such as telehealth and virtual patient monitoring will play a major role in the care of patients. ere will be a vast need to address social determinants of health by educating and provid- ing resources to allow utilization of this technology such as using "wearable tech" to monitor ongoing health issues, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart conditions and other chronic illnesses. Ryannon Frederick, MSN, RN. Chief Nursing Officer of Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.): Nursing research will experience extraordinary demand and growth driven by a realization that both complex and unmet patient needs can oen be best served by the role of a professional registered nurse. Nurses are uniquely posi- tioned to implement symptom and self-management interventions for patients and their caregivers. Significant disruption in healthcare, including increasing use of technology, will lead to a dramatic shi to understand the role of the RN in improving patient outcomes and implementing interventions using novel approaches. Nurs- ing researchers will provide a scientific body of evidence proving equivalent, if not better, patient care outcomes that can be obtained at a lower cost than traditional models, leading to an even greater demand for the role of the professional nurse in patient care. Karen Higdon, DNP, RN, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer of Baptist Health Louisville (Ky.): e value of nursing has never been more apparent. Nurses have led the front line during this pandemic. In the next five years, we must be flexible and creative in establishing new models of care, specifically around roles that support nursing, such as assistant and tech roles. Creating roles with clear role definition, that are attractive and meaningful for nursing support will help build consistent, high-quality models for nursing to lead. is consistency, along with IT capabilities that enhance workflow, will better allow nurses to work at the top of their scope. Karen Hill, DNP, RN. COO and Chief Nursing Officer of Baptist Health Lexington (Ky.): 2020 was declared the "Year of the Nurse" and this reality has never been more true than realizing the personal and professional sacrifices of nurses in dealing with issues surround- ing the pandemic. e next five years will require nursing profes- sionals to be flexible to address new, unknown emerging issues in all settings, to be open to new opportunities for leadership in hospitals, schools and communities and to use technology and telehealth to provide safer care to patients. Nurses need to evaluate our practices and traditions that are value-added and leave behind the task orien- tation of the past. We need to honor our legacy and create our path. erese Hudson-Jinks, MSN, RN. Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Patient Experience Officer at Tus Medical Center and Tus Children's Hospital (Boston): Over the next five years, I expect that the support and retention of clinical nurses will become the top pri- ority of every CNO and executive team, given nurses' direct impact on supporting the business of healthcare. is will be particularly critical because there will be a concerning shortage of experienced clinical nurses as a result of advancing technologies increasing complexity in care, additional nurse roles created outside traditional areas, fierce competition for talent between large healthcare systems,