A new model to measure nursing’s economic value 

A new model aims to help hospitals and health system leaders better understand how investments in nursing contribute to financial sustainability. 

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing in Baltimore and Marquette University College of Nursing in Milwaukee introduced the Nursing Human Capital Value Model Oct. 7, during a preview event for the American Nurses Enterprise’s annual Research Symposium.

The model is the product  of a two-year study led by the American Nurses Enterprise Institute for Nursing Research and Quality Management. It is intended to serve as a framework that hospital and health system leaders can use to quantify and communicate how investments in nursing directly contribute to improved patient outcomes, cost savings and sustainable financial performance. 

Historically, investments in nurses’ education, training and work environment have been viewed primarily as costs. Nurse leaders say the new model is meant to shift that perspective by demonstrating how nursing investments can drive better care and revenue growth. 

“The goal of this study was to reframe how nurses are traditionally viewed — not just as caregivers, but as strategic assets whose expertise drives both clinical excellence and financial stability,” Brad Goettl, DNP, RN, chief nursing officer of the ANE said in a news release. “This model provides a powerful tool for healthcare leaders to understand and act on the true return on investment in nursing.” 

Before its release, researchers piloted the model in healthcare settings to evaluate how well it quantified nursing’s economic value.

This marks the latest effort in a broader push to redefine how nursing’s effect on patient care is measured. In October 2024, a group of nurse leaders published a framework that urged hospital leaders to go beyond harm prevention when assessing nurses’ influence on patient care. The proposal called for new metrics that reflect the full scope of nursing work, including patient education and emotional support. The ANA is also advocating for payment reforms, saying a lack of transparency in current reimbursement structures make it difficult to measure nursing’s value and limit investments in the workforce. 

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