AONL 2025 is well underway as nurse leaders discuss AI, wellbeing, and DEI strategies.
After the first day of AONL 2025 in Boston, it's clear that CNOs and other nurse leaders have a few key concerns and focuses for nurse wellbeing, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and tackling AI implementation.
Hesitations about AI
To no one’s surprise, AI is top of mind at the conference this year, and nurse leaders are feeling apprehensive. As the technology progresses, CNOs have to decide how and when to embrace it and incorporate it into workflows.
Patricia Folcarelli, SVP of patient care services and CNO at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Patricia McGaffigan, vice president of safety and president of the Certification Board for Professionals in Patient Safety (CBPPS) at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), presented two use cases for AI: an example of documentation and decision support, and of a chatbot for patients.
The nurse leaders participating in the discussion were concerned about documentation errors, transparency, and deskilling among the workforce. There were also ethical concerns about patient confusion when talking to a chatbot.
A new kind of mental health support
Nurse mental health continues to be a top priority for CNOs, as burnout and turnover rates remain high in many organizations. Yarisbell Collazo, DNP, RN, MLD-C, MEDSURG-BC, nurse manager at UF Health, helped implement a new program for mental health resource nurses (MHRNs), who can help staff deal with stress and mental health concerns at work.
Each MHRN specializes in a different skill, ranging from organization to de-escalation, confidence, anxiety, depression, and coping mechanisms. The nurses are certified in mental health first aid, and they provide monthly materials to staff related to mental health issues and themes. The goal is to make their roles official, so that they can dedicate more time to mental health education, which they are now taking on in addition to seeing patients.
Withstanding attacks on DEI
Under the waves of executive orders from the Trump administration, many organizations are hesitant to move forward with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives out of fear of noncompliance.
G. Rumay Alexander, a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Nursing, Katie Boston-Leary, SVP of equity and engagement at the American Nurses Association (ANA), and Stephan Davis, executive director of leadership, policy and DNP education at Georgetown University, spoke about how organizations should stay the course for DEI, while bringing new people and perspectives to the table.
They also advocated for an inclusive excellence strategy based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which begins with equality and results in human flourishing and self-actualization. The goal is to achieve equal opportunity for nurses while also prioritizing equitable patient care.
Stay tuned for more AONL coverage.
G Hatfield is the CNO editor for HealthLeaders.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In the case of AI, nurse leaders are concerned about documentation errors, transparency, and deskilling among the workforce.
A new program for mental health resource nurses has the potential to vastly improve the mental health and wellbeing of nurses.
Nurse leaders should advocate for equity and inclusivity by bringing new voices to the table and continuing progress towards diversity, equity, and inclusion.