MPH, MSN, WHNP-BC
You’re here because you’re curious about the life of a telehealth nurse. Maybe you heard about telehealth nursing from social media, your colleagues, or from your own career path research.
Maybe you’ve heard about the rise of artificial intelligence, technology, and nursing recently. Or maybe you’re just wondering about a possible second nursing job. Whatever it is, as a current telehealth nurse, I’ll answer some of your most common questions now!
Telehealth nursing is a type of nursing in which nurses provide care virtually, either on the phone, via chat or e-mail, on webcam, or all of the above. Telehealth nursing has existed for several years but has increased in popularity because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of telehealth organizations, and the need for nurses in the technology sector.
As technology continues to grow, the demand for telehealth nurses will increase, making this nursing career path a hot topic in nursing spaces.
The tasks of a telehealth nurse can vary significantly depending on the job itself. Some telehealth nurses provide health education on the phone, while other telehealth nurses provide customized nurse consults with patients.
Depending on the nature of the work, telehealth nurses can also review medication histories, analyze patient data from at-home patient monitoring systems, or assist in clinical research studies.
Traditional nursing in a hospital is so rewarding and life-changing. You learn so much, you care for so many people, and you become so aware of the reality patients and health care staff face.
As much as I love taking care of patients in person, telehealth nursing has some perks that traditional nursing does not often offer.
First, telehealth nurses can work almost entirely remotely, with some jobs requiring some travel or on-site meetings. This allows for you to apply for telehealth nursing jobs nationwide and even internationally, depending on the type of license and job itself.
Second, telehealth nursing is growing and expanding rapidly, making telehealth nursing job security very likely.
Third, because telehealth nursing is often done remotely, telehealth nurses (like me, for instance) can still work part-time or as needed in other nursing roles, making the possibility of earning more money and expanding your career portfolio more feasible.
There are many pros to telehealth nursing, but this career path is not for everyone.
First, most telehealth nursing jobs often require at least 2-3 years of direct patient care work experience, meaning this is not a likely career path for new graduates or for nurses who have limited patient care experience.
Second, telehealth nursing often requires tech-savvy abilities and a willingness to manage tech issues at home, such as issues with your phone or laptop. Of course, you can contact your employer’s tech support, but for many telehealth nurses, you’re often left to manage tech issues on your own. Tech can be frustrating if you do not have tech support or struggle with new types of technology in general.
Third, telehealth nurses often work remotely, meaning you might be often working alone compared to working with other nurses in a unit. The social aspect can be isolating for some more extroverted nurses, and this can also be a concern for nurses who thrive in an environment with a lot of people, such as emergency rooms.
My role as a telehealth nurse is as a virtual nurse educator. I provide patient health education on the phone and via virtual chat to people all over the USA on women’s health.
My discussions on phone or virtual chat last from one minute to an hour. I talk to people from all walks of life about their health needs and assist them to the best of my abilities. I often work eight-hour shifts, sometimes longer shifts if available. I spend most of my days on my work laptop documenting these discussions, reviewing health education content, staying up to date with women’s health research, and having 1-1 interactions with people in between my tasks.
None of my two days are the same, and I love it that way!
Great question! First, do your research. Seriously, applying randomly for any job, especially in the age of mass information and artificial intelligence, is going to waste your time and energy.
Research what sort of telehealth job you’d like to do, such as more patient education roles, perhaps clinical research roles, or even a mix of both. Once you do your research, read those job descriptions and requirements, and see how you feel about those job duties.
Also, make sure you do some research on the company to which you’re applying, as many telehealth companies have recently emerged, but many companies have also downsized or experienced shifts in management.
Second, look at the possible salary ranges and job benefits. If you are looking at fully remote telehealth positions, inquire about at-home office reimbursement, such as cell phone or laptop reimbursement. If you are looking for hybrid roles or roles that require travel, inquire about the frequency of travel or visits to the office.
Third, make sure you know what you’re getting into. This is a major career shift that can influence your ability to obtain future in-person nursing work, especially if you do not plan to work in direct clinical care while doing telehealth nursing.
Overall, I think telehealth nursing is a great career path, and if you love working with technology and people, it might be a great fit for you, too!
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