Healthcare provider Providence, one of the biggest in America, is shaking the world with its solution to combat the nursing shortage. It is revolutionizing healthcare delivery and setting a new standard with the launch of its groundbreaking Virtual Nursing Unit. This technology-driven program helps people who can’t go personally to get quality treatment at home.
What Is Virtual Nursing?
Jennifer Ball, director of Virtual Care, highlighted the importance of virtual nursing on the ANA’s website. Ball explained how virtual nursing can help when there is an inadequate number of bedside nurses, and how it can provide a valuable service to patients in need. For instance, Virtual nurses are being employed to reduce workload and enhance patient and staff satisfaction.
Virtual nursing is quickly emerging as a revolutionary approach to patient care, offering efficient, accessible, and cost-effective medical services. It involves the use of telehealth technology to provide remote nursing care and online nursing care. Virtual nurses have been revolutionizing the healthcare industry by providing quality medical care at a distance.
This is not only beneficial for patients as it creates access to care but also helps reduce the associated costs with in-person visits. Therefore, its efficacy has been seen through improved patient outcomes making it an ideal option for healthcare delivery.
Virtual nursing is becoming more and more common as it provides a convenient and effective way for nurses to offer quality healthcare without being in the same room with the patient.
History And Planning
Providence Health has been using virtual care like Teladoc Health since 2004, providing quality care to its patients conveniently for over 15 years. Sylvain Trepanier, Chief Nursing Officer at Health System Providence, emphasizes the importance of leveraging their expertise in telemedicine and incorporating audio/video bidirectional technology.
An effective pilot development required close collaboration between directors of nursing, telehealth, and ancillary services. Meanwhile, during the assessment, they had in-depth conversations about bedside care to determine which treatments could be done remotely and which required direct attention.
Throughout the discussions with frontline healthcare staff, they explained the high number of duties they are responsible for that detract them from providing one-on-one patient care, which was a source of dissatisfaction.
How Technology Can Help Combat the Nursing Shortage
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the existing lack of nurses across the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 2030 we’ll require about 300,000 more nurses than in 2020. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 203,200 annual job openings for nurses due to retirements and other factors.
The demand for nurses in healthcare is escalating rapidly due to our aging population and the need for medical services. The current shortage of nurses is a critical issue that must be addressed in order to meet the growing demands of our society.
Technology has become an invaluable resource for the medical sector, enabling better resource management and improving healthcare delivery. It can help lighten nurses’ workloads so that they can focus on providing superior care to the patients even in a remote setting without the need of being at the bedside.
Check out other nursing careers away from the bedside.
The Benefits Of Virtual Nursing Units For Patients And Healthcare Providers
Virtual nursing units are becoming popular in healthcare as they reduce costs, increase access to care, and improve patient satisfaction.
Telehealth is a great way for people to get medical advice from a certified professional without having to travel anywhere. This can be especially helpful for those in rural areas who don’t have easy access to traditional healthcare services. It also helps busy individuals who may not have the time or resources to visit a doctor in person.
Virtual Nursing units are beneficial for both patients and hospitals, providing shorter wait times and personalized care. This makes it easier for providers to manage their workloads and optimize patient care.
Healthcare providers are using online services to monitor patient health, providing faster response times for potential issues.
Key To A Successful Virtual Nursing Program
Technology is a crucial part of the success of a virtual nurse program, but it isn’t the only factor. According to Trepanier, even more, critical aspects include:
- Change Management – It is essential to involve frontline caregivers in the early stages of a project to understand their opinions and ideas.
- Outline the scope and vision – It’s important to clearly communicate any changes in the workflow to staff ahead of time. This will let staff understand their tasks and use their specialized skills correctly, aiding in the transition process.
- Executive sponsorship/leadership – The head of the program must lead effectively. This includes engaging with staff, and patients. In addition, motivating their team to succeed.
Qualifications To Be A Virtual Nurse
According to Post University, Virtual nurses must meet all the academic and training requirements set in place for registered nurses in general. This includes the following:
- To become a Registered Nurse, one must pass the NCLEX.
- BSNs can provide virtual nurses with additional training and qualifications which can be beneficial in different facilities or states.
- Some telehealth programs, require nurses to complete specific training certifications to be qualified. This enables them to provide patients with the same quality of care they would get in person.
Read our article regarding the other qualifications to obtain your nursing degree.