Debbie Gregory

Innovation Through Design

In this interactive session, Dr. Debbie Gregory and Dr. Fernando Lima will explore how nurses can lead and collaborate in the healthcare design process. Using design and innovation as a framework, the session will highlight the value of nursing insight in architectural planning, the importance of nursing presence at the design table, and strategies for building effective partnerships between clinicians and architects.

Learning Objectives By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the principles of design thinking and their relevance to healthcare environments.
2. Explain why nurse involvement in healthcare design leads to improved outcomes for patients and staff.
3. Identify practical strategies for nurses to collaborate with architects and influence the built environment.
4. Discuss real-world examples of successful nurse-architect partnerships that shaped clinical spaces.

Biography

Dr. Gregory is a leader in healthcare design and innovation, leveraging her experience as a nurse, healthcare consultant, and interior designer to advocate for nurse leadership representation in building functional healthcare environments that improve clinical workflow, create healthy environments for nurses and improve patient experience and outcomes. She is co-founder of the Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design, founding member of the Clemson University Academy of Nursing Excellence in Design, and co-editor of the Health Environments Research and Design Journal.  As a member of the Center for Health Design’s Environmental Standards Council, her work directly impacts policy and guideline standards.  Passionate about education and research, she regularly contributes to industry publications and journals and is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences, serving as Chairperson for the 2021 and 2022 International Nursing Conference for Excellence in Healthcare Design.  She serves as mentor to hundreds of nurses and is an adjunct professor at Clemson University School of Nursing and the University of Kansas Center for Design Research.

Debbie holds a DNP in Health Innovation and Leadership from the University of Minnesota, a BSN from Vanderbilt University,and an Interior Design degree from Watkins College of Art, Design & Film.