Rocchio asked Robyn Weilbacher, chief nursing officer at Mercy Hospital St. Louis, to select a unit for the project. The team quickly began conducting interviews and technology readiness surveys, ultimately landing on the orthopedics unit.

“We recruited from within, seeking full-time nurses who are tech savvy, quick learners and fully embrace change,” said Sheila Ries, Mercy St. Louis orthopedic unit nurse manager and one of the founding leaders of the IU. “Then, we brought together representatives from several key stakeholder groups to provide support and guidance through weekly huddles.”