In late 2025, Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic set out to aggressively scale up AI agents. Who better to design them than the nurses who’ll be using them?
The academic health system recently challenged its nurses to devise largely autonomous AI solutions, with finalists working with Microsoft to build and refine them. Mayo received over 450 entries, with 33 moving on to the next round.
“We have a ‘for nurses, by nurses‘ approach at Mayo Clinic,” Chief Nursing Officer Ryannon Frederick, RN, told Becker’s. “We feel very strongly that nurses are the people closest to the work, and they have this huge potential to identify the opportunities of how to improve care for patients but also the work that they experience.”
Mayo nursing leaders were impressed not only by the volume of submissions — but also nurses’ understanding of AI and the practicality and strategic alignment of their ideas. Proposals spanned a wide range of nursing roles and specialties, and addressed challenges like EHR searches, staffing and scheduling, and administrative overload.
Judges, including nursing executives, governance leaders and front-line staff, evaluated workflow and department alignment, risk, and implementation readiness. The entire nursing department will vote on the final winners.
“Bottom line, we’re making sure that the ideas that move forward, they’re not just exciting, but they’re also safe, they’re scalable, they’re meaningful, and they’re grounded in the people that are closest to the care of our patients,” Ms. Frederick said.
Even contenders that didn’t advance have had a great influence at Mayo, helping leadership spot pain points and prioritize solutions. Mayo also has commercialization channels for inventors.
One idea that made the cut helps nurses locate policies and procedures on the fly. “We really wanted to explore how an AI agent could serve as a supportive bedside partner — helping nurses access and use trusted information more efficiently, while keeping nursing judgment and human oversight at the center,” said Duc Chu, RN, a critical care nurse at Mayo Clinic.
Said Luke Wass, RN, his partner on the project: “It’s super humbling and an honor to feel like the voice of nursing staff at Mayo does matter, and the ideas that we have can make a difference.”
Ms. Frederick said the competition reflects Mayo Clinic’s broader approach to innovation.
“It’s guided by a deep commitment to keeping humanity as the core part of healthcare,” she said. “Nursing has a critical role in leading the future of healthcare, because nurses know where solutions are needed most. They also know how to make care better without losing what makes it human.”
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