…But we don’t do that.

Across multiple settings and throughout history, established norms tend to be pretty closely adhered to – perhaps nowhere more so than higher education. I’d venture a wager that there is not a nurse alive who has not had a supervisor, instructor or mentor in the clinical setting tell them “that’s just the way we do it.” While norms serve valuable societal functions, they often limit ingenuity, innovation and, ultimately, progress. 

On May 21, 2025, the hallowed halls of the Smith Room at the University of Washington’s Suzzallo Library buzzed with energy as nurses, students, researchers, and community members gathered for the inaugural Voices in Nursing Innovation: A Fireside Chat. Hosted by the UW School of Nursing’s Digital Health Innovation Hub and the Office for Nursing Research & Innovation, this event marked the beginning of a quarterly series designed to spotlight nurse-led innovation and its transformative potential in healthcare.

The heart of the event was an intimate and inspiring conversation between Dr. Oleg Zaslavsky, Director of the Digital Health Innovation Hub and Aljoya Endowed Professor in Aging, and Dr. Elena Bosque, a seasoned neonatal nurse practitioner at Seattle Children’s Hospital and award-winning inventor. Their conversation offered a rare glimpse into the personal and professional journey of a nurse innovator.

Dr. Bosque, who has spent four decades blending academic and clinical practice, shared how her early experiences helped to shape her path. From her beginnings as a BSN student at the University of San Francisco to earning her PhD at UCSF, she spoke candidly about the adventures and misadventures spanning her career as an innovator. During her time as a PhD student, her passion for improving neonatal care led her to develop a prototype alarm system for pulse oximeters using fuzzy logic—an early example of her commitment to combining clinical nursing expertise with technological innovation that improves the lives of our most vulnerable patients.

When asked what inspired her to invent, Dr. Bosque credited both necessity and intuition. “Nurses are content experts,” she explained. “We see the problems firsthand every single day. That gives us a unique – and highly valuable- perspective that can enable us to create elegant, effective solutions.”

Throughout the discussion, Dr. Zaslavsky guided the conversation, drawing out insights that resonated deeply with the audience. He emphasized the importance of iteration in the innovation process, noting how Dr. Bosque’s multiple patents reflected a commitment to continuous improvement. “Innovation isn’t a one-and-done,” he said. “It’s a journey of learning, testing, and evolving.”

One of the most memorable and quietly powerful moments of the evening came when Dr. Bosque was asked what advice she would offer to future nurse innovators and entrepreneurs. Rather than providing a list of tips or strategies, she shared a story—simple, personal, and revealing. She recalled a moment from her undergraduate years, during the high-stress final exam period. Her roommate, seemingly unfazed, was curled up with a novel—reading for pleasure. Dr. Bosque, focused on the academic grind, challenged her: “But we don’t do that,” she said, echoing the established norm that finals week was for studying, not reading for pleasure. Her roommate looked up and replied, gently but firmly, “Of course we do.”

That moment stayed with her. It was more than a comment—it was a quiet rebellion against the idea that discipline and creativity must be at odds. It was a reminder that innovation doesn’t come from following the rules—it comes from questioning them. If ever there was a call to action for nurses to dream, to create, and to innovate, that was it.

Whether by choice, curiosity, or necessity, nurses have always been—and always will be—the best innovators.

In support of their work, and inspired by Hewlett-Packard’s “Rules of the Garage,” the vision of the UW Digital Health Innovation Hub is to dismantle barriers to innovation like bureaucracy, isolation, and self-doubt that often hinder nurses from scaling their innovations. As attendees mingled afterward, many expressed excitement about engaging with the Digital Health Innovation Hub and the promise of nurse-led innovation and entrepreneurship. With a focus on equity, evidence, and empowerment, the University of Washington Digital Health Innovation Hub is poised to become a national leader in transforming healthcare through nursing research and innovation.

The UW School of Nursing Voices in Nursing Innovation fireside chat series has officially launched—and if this first event is any indication, the future is bright, bold, and nurse-led.