EP38 Why AI in Healthcare Fails Without Nurses at the Table - Athena Fernandez, Jing Wang, Troy Seagondollar
Beyond the Blueprint - Health Series
Release Date: 10/18/2025
Beyond the Blueprint - Health Series
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What if the future of nurse training didn’t just include mannequins—but holograms, AI conversations, and full-on metaverse environments? In this episode of Beyond the Blueprint, we’re joined by Dr. William Scott Erdley, a retired simulation pioneer and former Director of Simulation & Clinical Skills Labs. With decades of experience in nursing education, Dr. Erdley unpacks the evolution of clinical simulation—from standardized patients and mannequin drills to immersive technologies like VR, AI, and even wetware. Together, we explore how simulation builds confidence, strengthens care...
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What happens when pilots become more than experiments? In this AMDIS collaboration, Dr. Eve Cunningham (Cadence, formerly Providence), Kaitlyn Torrence (WellSpan, formerly MUSC), and Dr. Camille Bradley (Baylor Scott & White) reveal what separates failed pilots from scalable innovation. Drawing on real-world deployments of virtual care, ambient listening, and decision support tools, this episode dives deep into the operational, cultural, and clinical realities behind adoption. From rebranding “pilots” to building internal trust, the panel offers a blueprint for moving from spark to...
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In this episode we explore why so many AI initiatives in healthcare stall—and how nursing leaders can change that. Dr. Jing Wang (FSU Nursing), Athena Fernandez (Penn Medicine), and Troy Seagondollar (formerly Kaiser Permanente) reflect on the current AI landscape and what it takes to make tools truly work for nurses at the bedside. From sepsis prediction models to staffing automation, they share hard-won lessons in AI governance, change management, and clinical trust. Our panel dives into the growing gap between innovation and implementation—and how nurse-led strategies can help...
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Join hosts Keith Washington and Kris Baird for a conversation with Michelle Lingner, FNP-C, RN-BSN, RNFA—a trauma nurse practitioner at ECU Health who's redefining what it means to lead without formal authority. Michelle shares how intentional mindset shifts transformed her from burned out to energized, and how that shift rippled through her entire team. Drawing on her experience in a 1,000-bed Level 1 trauma center, she reveals practical strategies for peer-to-peer influence, closing communication gaps that delay patient care, and choosing positivity even in high-pressure environments. Kris...
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info_outlineIn this episode we explore why so many AI initiatives in healthcare stall—and how nursing leaders can change that. Dr. Jing Wang (FSU Nursing), Athena Fernandez (Penn Medicine), and Troy Seagondollar (formerly Kaiser Permanente) reflect on the current AI landscape and what it takes to make tools truly work for nurses at the bedside. From sepsis prediction models to staffing automation, they share hard-won lessons in AI governance, change management, and clinical trust. Our panel dives into the growing gap between innovation and implementation—and how nurse-led strategies can help close it.
Key Takeaways
- AI projects often fail when nurses are excluded from planning and implementation.
- Augmented intelligence offers more clinical value than full automation.
- Nurse informaticists are essential to bridging IT and frontline workflows.
- Change management begins with bedside relevance, not just executive strategy.
- Sepsis prediction models reveal the risks of misaligned AI tools.
- AI should enhance—not replace—clinical judgment.
- National frameworks can help standardize and scale ethical AI use.
- Transparency and education are key to building trust in AI systems.
- Governance structures must include frontline feedback loops.
- Empowering nurses helps ensure AI improves care, not burdens it.
Episode Highlights
00:00 Welcome & Framing the Episode
01:55 Nursing's Role in AI Adoption
04:16 Lessons from Sepsis Prediction Tools
07:41 When Nurses Are Left Out of the Process
09:13 Hidden Costs: Workflow Disruption and Trust Erosion
11:23 Building a Feedback-Driven Governance Model
13:01 National Nursing + AI Framework
15:52 Bridging Academia and Clinical Reality
20:06 Traits of an AI-Savvy Nurse Leader
21:26 How Nurse Leaders Can Get Started
24:46 Artificial vs. Augmented Intelligence in Practice
28:28 The Tsunami of Tools: Change Management in Action
31:15 Building Clinical Trust in AI
34:22 Final Thoughts & Call to Action
Guests: Aretha Fernandez Jing Wang Troy Seagondollar
Host: Gregg Malkary - Spyglass Consulting Group
Cohost: Keith Washington - Companions in Courage Foundation
Sponsored by: Simplifi Medical & Storage Systems Unlimited
Audio/Video: Tim Jones - Health Nuts Media
Marketing: Josh Troop - Troop-Creative
Learn More at: www.beyond-blueprint.com