• Virtual nursing models are a unique approach to staffing shortages that can improve patient care.
• Without a universal approach, hospital systems can tailor their programs to meet system-wide needs.
• Virtual nursing models may help lower labor costs and help some rural hospitals remain open.

[hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]The COVID-19 pandemic, the retirement of baby boomer nurses, a rising aging population, and a lack of nurse educators drove nursing shortages to a tipping point across the country. Experts believe one answer to the staffing shortage may be implementing virtual nursing programs within hospitals.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Virtual nursing programs impact patients, clinicians, and healthcare systems. However, the programs are so new that nursing schools do not yet prepare nurses for this unique opportunity. Let’s explore virtual nursing, including how it might change patient care and how nursing educators can prepare students.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]What Is Virtual Nursing?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]The virtual nursing model is a unique approach to addressing staff shortages and reining labor costs that ballooned during the pandemic. The model was developed pre-pandemic but has expanded in the past two years, with [hen-ui-link href=”https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/telehealth/3-hospitals-launching-new-virtual-nursing-programs.html” target=”_blank”]five hospital systems[/hen-ui-link] announcing new programs in June 2023 and more in the planning stages.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]The issues perpetuating the nursing shortage are not likely to be solved quickly. Yet, the need for clinical nurses continues to grow as the population ages and the number of people with chronic diseases grows. Using a virtual nursing team may change nursing care delivery, but experts believe it will maintain a high level of care and protect patient outcomes.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]How It Works[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Virtual nursing programs use technology to enable nurses to perform tasks without being physically present. Because the model is in its infancy and there is no universal approach, hospital systems can tailor virtual nursing programs to their specific needs.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]For example, some programs are campus-based, where a virtual nurse is located in a room with a computer and camera set up. Other systems may choose a command center where a remote nursing staff manages operations across several campuses.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Additionally, hospitals can hire staff or a third-party clinical service to manage the technology. How the organization uses a virtual nurse depends on healthcare system needs.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Options include:[/hen-ui-text]

• Physical assessments with the assistance of sensors or a technician assistant
• Admission history
• Discharge education
• 24/7 patient surveillance
• Remote observer
• Patient and family resources
• Staff trainer for new graduates

[hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Effective virtual nursing programs allow an on-site team to spend more time in patient care and less in administrative tasks. Although there is no universal approach, it’s also likely that a single set of tasks will not work across various facilities.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]How Hospitals Are Using Virtual Nursing[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]The ingenuity that goes into implementing a virtual nursing model is part of what makes the model successful, including the flexibility institutions have to mix the skill sets of a bedside team with a virtual nursing team.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Sarah Bell, RN, MSN, MHA is the nurse administrator of virtual nursing, remote patient monitoring, and home hospital at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. “Virtual nursing is a critical strategy for staff satisfaction and retention. Building the infrastructure to support virtual care is the first step and an important investment in the future of healthcare,” Bell mentions in a [hen-ui-link href=”https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7073795592291844096/” target=”_blank”]LinkedIn post[/hen-ui-link].[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Today, two virtual nursing models are being used in separate hospital systems. The first employs oversight telenurses to focus on higher acuity patients and monitor for physiological signs that indicate deterioration.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]UCHealth in Colorado claims to have cut the number of [hen-ui-link href=”https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/uchealth-slashes-code-blues-70-telehealth-technologies” target=”_blank”]codes by 70%[/hen-ui-link] after implementing telehealth technology to monitor patient status. The second option employed by facilities focuses on using virtual clinicians to support patient and family communication using two-way audio and video technology.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-flex gap=”xl” align=”left” direction=”column”][hen-ui-flex gap=”xs” align=”left” direction=”column”][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Popular Online RN-to-BSN Programs[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ color=”subtext”]Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-flex][hen-ui-dynamic-experience placement=”belowTheFold” /][/hen-ui-flex][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]How Will Virtual Nursing Impact Patients, Clinicians, and Health Systems?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]One of the primary clinical benefits of a virtual nursing model is the ability of the virtual staff to handle time-consuming administrative tasks, such as documenting admissions and discharges or closely monitoring patients at risk for deterioration. The process enhances bedside efficiency at a time in history when nursing shortages across the country have placed [hen-ui-link href=”https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/21/health/covid-nursing-shortage-delta.html” target=”_blank”]patient care in danger[/hen-ui-link].[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]According to the [hen-ui-link href=”https://www.ncsbn.org/research/recent-research/workforce.page” target=”_blank”]2022 National Nursing Workforce Study[/hen-ui-link], roughly 100,000 RNs have left the profession since 2021, and another 800,000 have reported the intent to leave by 2027. The survey found roughly 20% of all working RNs plan to leave healthcare.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Should these nurses leave the profession before nursing schools have had the opportunity to increase the number of new graduates in the pipeline, experts hope that the virtual nursing model may be enough to fill the gap.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Staffing issues, labor costs, and overhead have led to one-third of rural hospitals at risk of closure. Hospitals like St. Margaret’s Hospital in Spring Valley, Illinois, have closed, leaving residents without local emergency care, needing to drive at least 30 minutes to the next hospital or up to [hen-ui-link href=”https://www.kwqc.com/2023/05/20/st-margarets-spring-valley-announces-closing/” target=”_blank”]60 miles for some emergency calls[/hen-ui-link] in nearby Putnam County.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]While the virtual nursing model changes how nurses administer care, hospitals that institute this model and lower their labor costs may be able to stay open and serve their community.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Patients and [hen-ui-link href=”https://www.americantelemed.org/resources/virtual-nursing-is-rapidly-changing-how-hospital-virtual-care-is-delivered-patients-and-nurses-are-benefitting/” target=”_blank”]nurses are benefiting[/hen-ui-link] from virtual nursing models. In addition to answering the need for patient care, many hospitals are engaging nursing staff in developing the program to ensure it meets the needs of the nurses and the patients.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Additionally, hospitals that have successfully implemented virtual models use a daily debrief with bedside and virtual nurses to troubleshoot areas of concern, make necessary changes, and help bedside staff communicate with virtual staff to form a cohesive team and dispel any concerns.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Preparing Students for Virtual Nursing Education[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Telehealth nursing and virtual nursing models are relatively new to the profession. While some nursing programs are beginning to integrate coursework to help nurses deliver healthcare remotely, especially in a telehealth nursing model, others are not.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Online environments are fraught with challenges for nurses and patients, which must be overcome to increase the viability of these models. One of the challenges is preparing student nurses for the differences between implementing patient care at the bedside and virtually.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]During the pandemic, telehealth grew in popularity and importance. While it is an important way to deliver healthcare to rural areas, implementation occurred using nurses with little — if any — training in technological healthcare delivery.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]The lack of experience with virtual care lengthens the time it takes nurses to accept and fully utilize this model. We spoke briefly with Bell about how nursing programs could prepare students to deliver care in a digital environment.[/hen-ui-text][electronic intensive care unit]. This allows students to understand what virtual care teams can do to support them if they encounter this model once they are out of school.”[hen-ui-text variant=”b4″][hen-ui-text tag=”strong” weight=”bold”]She also notes the importance of developing coursework that provides students with an understanding of virtual care models.[/hen-ui-text] “It’s important for nurses to understand the benefits of virtual care and how the roles integrate into the greater care team.”[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]According to an article in the [hen-ui-link href=”https://ojin.nursingworld.org/table-of-contents/volume-26-2021/number-1-january-2021/preparing-nurses-for-roles-in-telehealth-now-is-the-time/” target=”_blank”]Online Journal of Issues in Nursing[/hen-ui-link], nurses are ill-prepared in their educational programs to deliver care using digital technology. While educational programs for primary care providers, such as nurse practitioners, include training on using telehealth to provide care, entry-level nursing programs are lacking.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Meet Our Contributor[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-flex direction=”column” gap=”lg”][hen-ui-expert-bio name=”Sarah Bell, RN, MSN, MHA” img-src=”https://res.cloudinary.com/highereducation/images/e_grayscale,c_fill,h_300,w_300,g_face/v1688672828/NurseJournal.org/Sarah-Bell/Sarah-Bell.jpg?_i=AA” img-alt=”Sarah Bell, RN, MSN, MHA” layout=”horizontal” background=”white” /][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ slot=”contentRight” class=”text-base”]Sarah Bell, RN, MSN, MHA works as a nurse administrator for virtual nursing, remote patient monitoring, and home hospital at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She began her career in critical care nursing before advancing the development of telehealth program options to manage clinical situations. She is an experienced nursing leader with a strong telehealth background and more than 16 years of experience developing, managing, leading, and deploying teams. Bell is skilled in using data to drive technological solutions in healthcare.[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-flex][hen-ui-accordion variant=”no-background”] [hen-ui-accordion-item title=”Sources”] [hen-ui-text-stack gap=”sm”] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Bell S. 2023. Personal Interview[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″][hen-ui-link href=”https://www.ncsbn.org/research/recent-research/workforce.page” target=”_blank”]National Nursing Workforce Study[/hen-ui-link]. (2022). NCSBN[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Rutledge, C et al. (2021). [hen-ui-link href=”https://ojin.nursingworld.org/table-of-contents/volume-26-2021/number-1-january-2021/preparing-nurses-for-roles-in-telehealth-now-is-the-time/” target=”_blank”]Preparing Nurses for Roles in Telehealth: Now is the Time![/hen-ui-link] OJIN[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″][hen-ui-link href=”https://www.americantelemed.org/resources/virtual-nursing-is-rapidly-changing-how-hospital-virtual-care-is-delivered-patients-and-nurses-are-benefitting/” target=”_blank”]Virtual Nursing is rapidly changing how hospital virtual care is delivered; patients and nurses are benefitting[/hen-ui-link]. (2023). ATA[/hen-ui-text] [/hen-ui-text-stack] [/hen-ui-accordion-item][/hen-ui-accordion]