American Nurses Foundation Announces Awardees of Microgrants for Innovative Nurse-led Solutions That Use Artificial Intelligence (AI)

SILVER SPRING, MD - Today, the American Nurses Foundation (ANF) announced the inaugural awardees of its latest grant, Nurse-Led Solutions Using AI and Innovation. The program reflects ANF’s sustained investments into nurse-led research and innovation. Central to that work is the conviction that nurses, as the most direct link between patients and the healthcare system, must be at the center of how emerging technologies are evaluated, adopted, and shaped. 

Three nurse-led teams will receive microgrants in the amount of $10,000, funded by Hippocratic AI, to evaluate AI’s impact on patient safety, preventable deaths, and documentation completeness and accuracy. ANF and Hippocratic AI share the belief that nurses are crucial to understanding the application of AI in healthcare and are uniquely positioned to positively shape its integration. 

A total of 31 submissions were received, and the following projects were selected for their diversity of scope and potential positive impact on both patients and nurses:

• Utilizing AI Generated Chart Extraction Tools for Determining Pediatric ASC Eligibility will be led by Beth Bass, MSN, APRN, FNPBC, from Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The project will measure how effectively an AI tool can improve patient safety and reduce clinical throughput issues due to day-of cancelations.
• Evaluating Ambient AI Listening Tools in Inpatient Nursing to Reduce Documentation Burden and Improve Workflow will be led by Christina C. Dye, MSN, RN, MEDSURG-BC, and Sara Donevant, PhD, RN, from the University of South Carolina College of Nursing. This work will evaluate an AI mobile application’s potential positive impact on documentation completeness, accuracy, and overdocumentation, as well as how nurses feel about workflow fit, usability, and cognitive load. 
• Rapid Response Coastal Health Intervention Program’s expansion will be led by Nanette Prevost, RN, from the Remember Me NFP. This expansion will potentially reduce preventable deaths related to cardiac arrest, drowning, traumatic injury, and opioid overdose in high-risk coastal, rural, and recreational environments.

“At Hippocratic AI, we believe the future of healthcare innovation must be shaped by nurses, because nurses are closest to patients and communities, and understand what it takes to deliver safe, high-quality care,” said Amy McCarthy, Chief Nursing Officer at Hippocratic AI. “Through our partnership with the American Nurses Foundation, we are investing in nurse-led work that helps ensure AI is implemented responsibly and grounded in real-world nursing expertise. These microgrants are supporting practical, impactful projects that advance the nursing profession and improve patient outcomes.”

“Now more than ever, we need sustained investment in nurse-led research. Nurses are the trusted voices in patient care and communities, and that trust drives practical, evidence-based solutions that improve outcomes and strengthen our health system,” said Graig Eastin, Executive Director of the American Nurses Foundation. “As AI rapidly reshapes healthcare, nurse-led research will make sure these tools are implemented responsibly and advance care that is safe, equitable, and grounded in real-world nursing expertise.”

Beyond the investment into nurse-led projects, these microgrants will support healthcare transformation through leadership development, deeply considered research, and peer learning, with the voice of nurses at the center. 

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About the American Nurses Foundation

As the philanthropic arm of the American Nurses Association, the American Nurses Foundation inspires change and innovation by harnessing The Power of Nurses™ through strategic, nurse-led philanthropy. With its 501(c)(3) status, the foundation mobilizes critical resources to fund innovative research and support initiatives that advance nursing practice, education, and leadership. By forging intentional partnerships and providing targeted grants, the foundation empowers nurses to drive change within healthcare systems and communities. This commitment ensures that nurse-led solutions remain at the forefront of efforts to enhance care delivery and patient outcomes.

MEDIA CONTACT: newsroom@ana.org 

Hippocratic AI

Hippocratic AI has developed a safety-focused Large Language Model (LLM) for healthcare. The company believes that a safe LLM can dramatically improve healthcare accessibility and health outcomes in the world by bringing deep healthcare expertise to every human. No other technology has the potential to have this level of global impact on health. The company was co-founded by CEO Munjal Shah, alongside a group of physicians, hospital administrators, healthcare professionals, and artificial intelligence researchers from El Camino Health, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, Microsoft, Google, and NVIDIA. Hippocratic AI has received a total of $278 million in funding and is backed by leading investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, Kleiner Perkins, NVIDIA’s NVentures, Premji Invest, SV Angel, and six health systems. For more information on Hippocratic AI visit hippocraticai.com. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Press@hippocraticai.com