From "What's a Hackathon?" to Healthcare Heroes: The Complete Story of Nurseathon 2025

A few months ago, a conversation began on a stage at the NUNSA digital health summit about bridging the gap between clinicians and tech developers. Today, that idea has exploded into a powerful reality. We at Boolbyte and Healthcare Foundry Africa are still buzzing from the incredible energy of Nurseathon 2025, an event that proves when passion meets opportunity, transformation happens. In collaboration with the Nigerian Universities Nursing Students' Association (NUNSA) National, we brought together 34 nursing students from across the country. The challenge was centered around the theme: "Telenursing – Bridging the Gap Between Nurses and Patients". What they accomplished was nothing short of remarkable. ### The Journey from Concept to Care When we first launched this initiative, many participants admitted, “What’s a hackathon?” or confessed, “I don’t know anything about tech". But they had the one ingredient that matters most: the drive to solve real problems they encounter every single day in our healthcare system. And that was all they needed. The students' rapid growth from novices to innovators was fueled by an intensive, expert-led mentorship program designed to take them from zero to one. - **Laying the Foundation:** Guiding the vision from the start was Boolbyte’s founder, Adegoke Adewoye. He led a foundational session on *Product Ideation and Planning in Healthcare Tech*, giving the students a framework to structure their concepts. Beyond formal workshops, he held numerous 'Ask Me Anything' (AMA) sessions to provide direct guidance. As one participant noted, Mr. Adegoke Adewoye was "incredibly resourceful in sharing tools, frameworks, and insight to guide our MVP development". - **Designing with Empathy:** An idea is only as strong as its connection to the people it serves. Boolbyte's Design Lead, Eniola Afanu, led a workshop on *Design Thinking for Health*, teaching participants to place the needs of patients and nurses at the center of their solutions. - **Making Ideas Tangible:** To turn concepts into reality, Dr. Paul Aderoju led a practical, hands-on workshop on *Building Quick Prototypes*. This session was essential for demystifying the development process and empowering teams to build and test their ideas. Through this dedicated guidance, the students adapted. They learned. They grew. They built. And they achieved. ### Jaw-Dropping Innovation in Action The Nurseathon wasn't just about learning; it was about building. The event culminated with five brilliant teams presenting "jaw-dropping demos" of their solutions. The work powerfully demonstrated what's possible when those on the front lines of care are empowered to innovate. One team, for instance, developed a telehealth solution to address the critical issue of quackery in nursing, aligning with the sub-theme of tackling workforce shortages with telehealth-driven innovation. Their project, and others like it, showed a deep understanding of the challenges and a remarkable ingenuity in solving them. ### This is Just the Beginning This event was a testament to the power of community. A huge thank you is owed to the NUNSA National team, the dedicated Healthcare Foundry Africa team, and our phenomenal judges and mentors, including Raphael Akangbe (DBA, Ph.D, FCIML), Paul A., and Eniola Afanu, whose collective efforts made Nurseathon 2025 a resounding success. To the winners and every single participant: Don't let this be the end. Take the feedback, refine your brilliant solutions, and keep pushing forward. You are truly just getting started. And to anyone reading this who has an idea but feels they aren't 'ready' to act? Consider this your sign to start. The knowledge you need is out there; just add your own courage and curiosity. Are you inspired to support these emerging innovators or get involved in our mission? We are looking for advisors, mentors, sponsors, and partners. Please don't hesitate to reach out. Send an email to [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).