The Role of Telehealth Nursing

• Telehealth nursing requires specific skills such as digital literacy, time management, and excellent verbal communication and listening skills. 
• Patient readiness is crucial for successful telehealth implementation, and telehealth can benefit patients who face barriers to accessing care or have compromised immune systems. 
• Nurses must maintain professionalism in virtual interactions and prioritize patient safety by following established escalation protocols, encouraging pre-charting of appointments, and providing telehealth tutorials.

Telehealth nursing is an innovative method of delivering care remotely through technology such as mobile devices, computers, and tablets. Telehealth offers numerous benefits to both patients and healthcare providers, but it requires nurses to possess the necessary proficiency in using technological tools for effective telehealth implementation.

Moreover, nurses must develop appropriate skills and knowledge regarding best practices for remote patient care. This article explores key considerations for a career as a telehealth nurse, including: 

• Essential skills for telehealth nurses 
• Patient readiness for telehealth 
• Maintaining professionalism in virtual interactions 
• The importance of patient safety in telehealth 

Key Skills in Telehealth Nursing

Telehealth employs remote monitoring, video conferencing, wireless communication, and electronic consultations to connect patients with necessary healthcare services. This technology ensures that patients receive appropriate care at the right place and time. If considering a career in telehealth, nurses must possess specific skills to be effective. The following abilities are critical for telehealth nurses: 

• Verbal Communication and Listening Skills – Nurses must have excellent verbal communication and listening skills to interact with patients remotely. 
• Digital Literacy – Proficiency in technology is essential for nurses to effectively communicate with patients using various devices. 
• Time Management – Telehealth nurses must be mindful of time, scheduling, and any time constraints to optimize their use of time. 

Patient Readiness for Telehealth

When it comes to telehealth, patient readiness is key. Many patients express high levels of satisfaction with their telehealth experiences, particularly those who have had video consultations compared to telephone consultations.

Telehealth can improve the quality of healthcare for individuals who face barriers to accessing care, making it more efficient, coordinated, and closer to home through remote visits. Telehealth has also been shown to enhance patient outcomes, including reduced time, cost, and distance factors. 

Patients with compromised immune systems can benefit greatly from telehealth, as it decreases their exposure to new illnesses and enables them to receive necessary care in the safety of their own homes. Telehealth also provides positive outcomes for individuals who face limited access to healthcare services, such as those living in rural areas or those who lack the desire to seek medical care due to long travel distances. 

However, patient readiness is crucial in determining the success of telehealth. While many patients appreciate the convenience and comfort that telehealth provides, it’s important to ensure that patients have access to the necessary technology and are comfortable using it. Additionally, telehealth may not be suitable for every medical situation and may require patients to come in for in-person visits at times. 

Professionalism in Telehealth Nursing

Nurses utilizing telehealth are expected to maintain their scope of practice, while also incorporating new technologies. The telehealth nurse has a variety of roles, including promoting wellness, performing patient assessments, providing care in remote or disadvantaged situations, managing chronic conditions, supporting end-of-life care, and facilitating care transitions. Regardless of the specific role, telehealth nurses must demonstrate professionalism by using telehealth skills with empathy, competence, and knowledge. 

To prepare for telehealth, nurses typically receive training during clinical orientation or through nurse residency programs. The delivery of telehealth is practiced in all settings and requires collaboration among various healthcare professionals to ensure success. 

Patient Safety in Telehealth Nursing

Patient safety should always be of utmost importance when dealing with healthcare of any kind and the implementation of patient safety is no different with telehealth services. Each facility or institution that provides telehealth services should establish escalation protocols that determine when a patient should be transitioned to urgent in-person care or even emergency services.

It is important to note that follow-up care can continue remotely but any considerations must be made for certain conditions that may require in-person services. The escalation protocols should be developed, identified, and applied in the context of any given practice and should cover specific scenarios or diagnostic studies or medical needs that may require a higher level of care than what telehealth can offer. 

The protocols must align with existing clinical workflows and take into consideration the comfort and familiarity levels of telehealth.   

Some ways that patient safety can be ensured with telehealth include: 

• Encourage pre-charting of upcoming patient visits – providers should conduct a detailed review of any upcoming appointments to determine if the appointments are appropriate and suitable for telehealth.  It is also necessary to ensure that the patient has access to the appropriate technology to use before the appointment and the patient agrees and fully understands that the appointment will be virtual.  
• Quality assurance plan – medical staff should hold patient safety sessions to discuss cases that involve both positive and negative patient outcomes in order to learn what went right and what may have gone wrong in telehealth appointments.   
• Provide the basics of telehealth by using a tutorial – tutorials serve as a great tool to provide awareness of basic telehealth best practices and understanding the fundamentals such as speech pattern or positioning the video camera, location, and lighting to make the experience more user-friendly for the patient and to ensure a smooth and effective telehealth visit.

The Bottom Line

In summary, while telehealth nursing has been in use for many years, its popularity has increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to note that telehealth cannot replace in-person appointments, but it can be a convenient option for individuals who cannot or do not want to travel.

The decision to use telehealth should be based on weighing the pros and cons for each individual situation. Telehealth can improve patient engagement, lead to better clinical outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs. It also offers easier access to quality healthcare services. However, while many people find telehealth to be a convenient way to access care, others may not benefit from it as much. Nurses play a crucial role in telehealth and can provide essential healthcare support from a distance. 

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