The landscape of virtual nursing in healthcare is rapidly evolving, with a recent study shedding light on the current state of adoption and perception among hospital leaders and IT professionals. According to the Virtual Care Insight Survey conducted by AvaSure, only 10% of hospital leaders and 14% of hospital IT leaders have integrated virtual nursing as a standard part of care delivery. However, there is a growing belief among 74% of hospital leaders that virtual nursing will play a crucial role in acute inpatient care models.
The survey, which gathered responses from over 1,000 healthcare professionals primarily working in acute care settings, highlighted the challenges faced in implementing virtual nursing. One of the key obstacles is the ongoing workforce shortages, particularly in nursing, which creates financial constraints for hospitals looking to adopt new technologies. Despite the potential benefits of virtual nursing in alleviating staff burdens and improving patient outcomes, many organizations struggle to justify the investment in the face of staffing challenges.
On the positive side, the survey revealed a significant increase in the number of hospitals piloting or implementing virtual nursing programs, up from 38% to 46% in the past year. This growth can be attributed to the phased approach that many organizations take towards virtual care adoption, starting with virtual sitting and then progressing to virtual nursing. Virtual sitting, in particular, has shown promising results in improving patient safety and reducing costs, making it an attractive starting point for hospitals.
The survey also highlighted the top use cases for virtual nursing, with virtual sitting and offloading documentation being the most common applications. Virtual sitting has proven to be effective in reducing patient falls and improving overall safety, while virtual technology streamlines discharge processes and enhances communication between care providers. Expert virtual nurses can provide critical surveillance of high-acuity patients, ensuring timely and comprehensive care delivery.
Overall, the survey results indicate a growing recognition of the potential benefits of virtual nursing in transforming care delivery and improving patient outcomes. As hospitals continue to navigate workforce challenges and financial constraints, virtual nursing technologies offer a promising solution to enhance efficiency, safety, and staff well-being in acute care settings.
