While there are many strategies to prevent burnout altogether, it's also important for CNOs to know how to spot burnout when it does occur.

According to a new report by the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) and Laudio, there are eight predictors that nurse leaders can use to spot burnout in their workforces. The results are based on workforce data, such as clock-in times, shift lengths, break patterns, PTO use, and scheduling frequency, from over 95,000 nurses across the country.

The eight burnout predictors among RNs consist of the following, according to the report, and are considered predictors when they are happening consistently above certain thresholds. 

Click here to read the accompanying article. 

FSU's new AI education program can be a role model for AI education across the country, according to this nurse educator.

AI is no longer just the future of healthcare, it's the reality, and it's here now.

As the workforce progresses alongside this new digital companion, it's critical that nurses understand AI's different applications and how to use the technology efficiently and effectively. For CNOs, this means somehow finding a way to have their entire workforce be informed about AI.

This level of change taking place in the industry requires a systemic shift in how nurses are educated, beginning at the academic level. The Florida State University College of Nursing has launched a Master of Science in Nursing degree with a focus on AI applications in healthcare, which according to Dr. Jing Wang, dean and professor at FSU College of Nursing, which is essential as AI enters the industry.

"AI is moving fast and furious in our daily lives in everything we do, and also in almost everything we touch in healthcare," Wang said. "We need to be on top of what healthcare is right now and how we are going to train our future nurses to make sure that they have the essential knowledge and skills that they need to practice care, whether they're in hospital settings, in companies, or in community settings."

Setting expectations

According to Wang, there are many perspectives on AI and questions about if it will remove the humanity from patient care. Right now, nurses spend so much time on computers completing documentation requirements, when they could be spending that time with patients. To Wang, AI will be the tool that brings back human touch to nursing practice by allowing nurses to spend more time at the bedside and less time in the EMR.

Many are also concerned that the AI tools being taught in school will be vastly different by the time nurses graduate and transition to practice. To Wang, the value in AI education lies in teaching it from the angle of patient care, so that even if tools evolve, nurses still know how to use AI, regardless of the specific tool or brand.

"The tool may evolve and change," Wang said. "It doesn't mean that we should push all this AI training and education to our healthcare systems just because it will be a different brand or tool."

Diving into the details

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree blends the traditional MSN degree with a concentration in AI, Wang explains, and it is designed to prepare nurses at a more advanced level.

"We want to prepare nurses and future nurse leaders to be the future leaders in this technology-driven and AI-driven future, rather than simply following whatever is coming," Wang said.

The program includes core curriculum on AI and practicum training that helps nurses learn how to apply foundational AI knowledge in real-world healthcare settings.

"They will have practicum hours after they learn about the core AI principles, core responsible AI principals, and the ethical use, the foundational use, and the legal implications of AI in healthcare," Wang said.

The nurses will learn exactly how to plan for all stages of AI implementation, from designing, to planning, to implementation, and to monitoring. They'll also learn how to identify areas where the AI tools can best be used to support nursing workflows, Wang explained.

"We don't want to just be this hype AI or hype technology, whatever is out there, let's find a solution in healthcare for it," Wang said. "It's actually the other way around, we're trying to prepare our students…to find what are areas where AI can play a significant role and be the problem solver versus the other way around."

According to Wang, FSU has plans to embed AI education into its BSN program as well. The organization already has incorporated AI tools to support faculty and student learning.

"We have a dedicated course on innovation and leadership, and we are assigning the faculty who teach our MSN in the AI program to teach the leadership and innovation course in the BSN," Wang said.

Fostering partnerships

AI education doesn't stop once nurses graduate. For CNOs who want to incorporate AI education during the transition to practice period, Wang recommends partnering with nursing schools.

"We're preparing for how we can successfully transition them to practice and how we can partner with the health systems [and] with the tools that we currently use in our training program to be aligned with what they will see in healthcare systems," Wang said.

According to Wang, FSU is also partnering with leading AI companies in the industry so students can test out some of the tools when they are in the MSN program. FSU founded the Nursing and Artificial Intelligence Innovation Consortium that builds partnerships between nursing schools, health systems, and AI industry partners, as well as the Coalition for Health AI (CHAI), the American Nurses Association (ANA), and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL).

"With AI evolving so much, that partnership between not only the academic and the CNO level, but also the AI industry is so critical," Wang said, "so that we make sure that our graduates as they transition to practice, they understand some of the current, but also the emerging tools based on the AI technology advancement that is out there."

CNOs must understand what the needs and demands are and how CNOs and educators can learn from each other to move AI education forward, Wang explained.

"We're willing to share all the learning that we have from starting the MSN program right now," Wang said. "We're trying to move into the other [BSN] program, and we want all the other schools to learn about it so that they can start their own, so that it's not going to be only a few programs in the U.S. that can offer this program."

Wang emphasized that the goal of the consortium is to break the silos between academia, care delivery, the AI industry, regulatory bodies, and professional organizations.

"We all [need to] get together on the same page to see what needs to be done and [find out] how we can leverage each other's strength to arrive at this common goal and shared goal that we have," Wang said.

With nursing's reputation as the gold standard of ethics slipping, CNOs must step into a new role: social media strategist.

In an era where nurses and healthcare workers are not just caregivers but content creators, social media has become a double-edged sword—an unfiltered window into the world of healthcare, wielded with equal parts power and peril.

From frontline chronicles during the chaos of COVID-19 to viral dance trends and raw stories of burnout, the rise of "nurse influencers" has given the public unprecedented access to the heart of America’s most trusted profession.

But with nursing’s reputation as the gold standard of ethics slipping, CNOs must step into a new role: social media strategist. The same platforms that spark division can also inspire collaboration if approached with transparency and purpose.

Changing perceptions

According to the 2023 Gallup Honesty and Ethics poll, nursing does in fact remain the most trusted profession, with 78% of adults in the United States "believing that nurses have high honesty and ethical standards." This has rung true for 22 years and counting, the American Nurses Association reported. 

However, that 78% is down 11 points from 2020. 

"I think the public perception of the trust in nursing has changed for many, many years," said Cody Legler, senior vice president and chief nursing officer at Maimonides Health and HealthLeaders Exchange member, who believes the evolution and recognition of the profession have accelerated over the past decade. 

"When you look at the last five years now since the pandemic started, and the application of social media across different types of social media and in different forms," Legler said, "I think it’s actually allowed for the continual evolvement of the public perception of nursing to be positive and respective.  In parallel, public health concerns such as workplace violence, have been exposed on a more public and international level."

Expanding horizons

According to Legler, social media also enables the public to learn about all the different opportunities that a nursing career provides. Social media has also provided nursing with a greater seat at the table as the respect and influence of nursing leadership continues to evolve.

"I think the specialty areas of opportunity in nursing across the spectrum that have become more prominent … have really helped change the public perception of nursing from the perspective of there being more opportunities throughout different phases of life and stages of a nursing career," Legler said.

One part of the narrative on social media is very focused on targeting and influencing individuals considering going into nursing, students in nursing school, new nurses, and tenured nurses who are looking for other opportunities, according to Legler.

"It’s really driven the opportunities that are in other spaces," Legler said. "Those spaces include the ambulatory setting and nursing informatics, and we know the healthcare industry continues to shift towards that." 

Social media also shows the public different and alternative ways to work in nursing, especially in the realm of flexible scheduling and technological advancement, such as in the cases of virtual nursing and remote patient monitoring. 

"I don’t know if social media influencers, at large, have changed the recruitment process," Legler said, "but I think they've influenced the areas of interest and the areas of opportunity that present themselves within nursing to be much more publicly known."

From a talent acquisition and leadership standpoint, Legler explained that there is positive movement in improving the talent acquisition process because of social media. 

"It’s really about building [and] ensuring that the nursing leadership team is very connected with a strong communication plan and relationship and frontline team members that we want and certainly need to be very engaged, especially when aligning strategic priorities" Legler said.

This is an excerpt from the HealthLeaders February 2025 cover story. Click here to read the full cover story.

The HealthLeaders Exchange is an executive community for sharing ideas, solutions, and insights. Please join the community at our LinkedIn page. 

To inquire about attending a HealthLeaders CNO Exchange event, email us at exchange@healthleadersmedia.com. 

While DEI is under fire in healthcare, CNOs might consider taking steps to reevaluate their programs and policies based on their risk tolerance and organizational values.

From new legal barriers to increasing prices, the healthcare industry has been shaken to its core in 2025.

Questions and criticism surrounding the processes that help people receive the best care regardless of their background have begun to chip away at the system’s effectiveness, and it's the CNO's duty to do the best they can to preserve those processes in the interest of patients and the longevity of the industry.

While there is so much scrutiny surrounding DEI in every industry, CNOs and other healthcare executives might consider taking steps to reevaluate their programs and policies based on their risk tolerance and organizational values.

Maintaining DEI values in processes

The goal is to balance the core values of programs while also protecting organizations from outside scrutiny and backlash. As the American Nurses Association (ANA) also takes these steps, Katie Boston-Leary, senior vice president of equity and engagement at the ANA, and HealthLeaders Exchange member, explained that it's all about risk.

"We want to understand political risk, reputational risk, financial risk, all various levels of risk, right?" Boston-Leary said. "It's important for us, in every instance, on an individual level and the system level, you have to understand your risk tolerance and adjust accordingly (or not)."

Health system leaders should assess risk versus reward, and any steps they would take to mitigate that risk. Boston-Leary emphasized that it's important for CNOs and other leaders to stay as informed and adept as possible.

"Really take the time to read the executive order, understand how and whether it applies to your organization," Boston-Leary said. "Make that determination in terms of how it may impact you and your organization, [and] if you need to make some changes to language."

While language isn't the end all be all, it does matter, according to Boston-Leary.

"Every institution should take the time and understand what words should describe the current state and illustrate the future state to improve care delivery to the marginalized and minoritized," Boston-Leary said. “Words do matter.”

Stephan Davis, executive director of leadership, policy, and DNP education, and associate professor, doctor of nursing practice programs and the Georgetown University School of Nursing, recommends rebranding using phrases like "inclusive excellence," "belonging and well-being," or "human flourishing" to broaden the understanding of programs and to invite engagement from those across ideological lines. Shifting language and phrasing can help avoid misinterpretation and clarify DEI and the goals of diversity practitioners.

"In an organization truly committed to inclusive excellence, this work focuses on creating environments where everyone is included—and is not singularly focused on those from backgrounds that have been historically or systematically excluded," Davis said.

Davis emphasized that the tendency of some diversity leaders to narrowly focus on race and gender has contributed to the misconception that DEI is not for everyone. DEI leaders must focus on the full range of human experiences.

"Leaders must engage with diverse members across their organizations, including those who may be skeptical of formal DEI efforts, to determine the most effective path forward," Davis said. "The ultimate goal remains the same: ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to reach their full potential."

Ultimately, promoting diversity comes down to fulfilling the obligation that nurses have to patients.

"This work, for us to make sure that we're being equitable in care delivery, is part of who we are, and if there's any question about it, the most recently released code of ethics makes it very clear," Boston-Leary said.

Keeping nursing safe

It's critical for CNOs to continue fostering a psychologically safe environment for nurses during this time by being transparent and vulnerable with teams. Boston-Leary explained that while many leaders are culturally taught not to show how they are feeling, nurses respond better to vulnerability and authenticity. If nurse leaders sound inauthentic, nurses will start to feel afraid and distance themselves from those they feel are not interested in or don't believe in their work.

"They deserve to understand us, who we are as people, what's important to us, what our values are, and what we ascribe to, in addition to the organization that you work for," Boston-Leary said. "Otherwise, you're going to sound like company speak, and you don't want to sound inauthentic."

Davis emphasized that CNOs must go beyond creating safe spaces and intentionally build community and foster connection to achieve the safety and security that allows nurses to thrive.

"True psychological safety exists when team members are not only encouraged to voice concerns, but when dissent is welcomed and rewarded, especially when offering a contrary perspective leads to improvement," Davis said. "This is how nursing leaders can model inclusive leadership and promote psychologically safe environments where all voices are heard and valued."

For CNOs who are trying to continue their DEI initiatives despite the scrutiny, Boston-Leary recommends staying the course and to know that this is not the time to stay isolated, it's the time to build coalitions and set up win-win solutions.

"We have to make sure that we're more outcomes-focused and less performative," Boston-Leary said. "This is the right side of history time for folks in terms of where you're going to be, and when this is written about years from now, you want people to understand fully where you were and what you did as a leader."

While there might not be a straightforward "right" answer that satisfies all stakeholders, Davis recommends staying as focused as possible on mission, values, and the foundational principles of bioethics.

"In these moments, we must lean on our values and ethical principles to guide our decisions," Davis said. "They anchor us in what matters most—and ensure that our actions remain aligned with our purpose and professional obligations and commitments."

This is an excerpt from the HealthLeaders July 2025 cover story. Click here to read the full cover story.

Editor’s note: The views expressed by Stephan Davis are his own and do not necessarily reflect the positions of any organizations he is affiliated with.

The HealthLeaders Exchange is an executive community for sharing ideas, solutions, and insights. Please join the community at our LinkedIn page. 

To inquire about attending a HealthLeaders CNO Exchange event, email us at exchange@healthleadersmedia.com.