Increasing Nurse Retention Through Meaningful Recognition

T he Clinical Scene Investigator (CSI) Academy program by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is dedicated to fostering nurse-driven innovation aimed at enhancing patient care, quality metrics, work environments, and nurse retention. This comprehensive 12-month program combines in-person and virtual interactive learning experiences with monthly classes varying from 4 to 8 hours in length.1 1 The goal of the CSI Academy is to enable direct care nurses to create positive change by educating and empowering them. The program curriculum is delivered by CSI expert faculty with availability for mentoring and consultation. With the help of the AACN CSI Academy, nurses are able to guide their peers in implementing unit-based change that can be readily scaled for optimum impact. The CSI Academy can play a key role in addressing challenges in the post-COVID-19 era; one of these challenges is the elevated national registered nurse (RN) turnover rate, which surpasses that of other health care professionals.1 1 Empowering frontline nurses through training programs like CSI is one way that nurses themselves can address the nursing shortage crisis.