Learning About Virtual Nursing Care in the Hospital

Virtual care nurses are experienced registered nurses who work from an office. They work for your hospital. They use technology to talk to you and monitor your vital signs. When you are not communicating with the virtual nurse, the camera and microphone are turned off.

Hospitals use them to help ensure the quality of care and patient safety. Virtual nursing care allows you and your family to ask non-urgent questions if your bedside nurse is busy.

It also frees up bedside nurses from giving patient education. Then they have more time to provide hands-on, bedside care. Your bedside nurse is still your primary nurse. You will still call your bedside nurse for help.

The virtual nurse talks with you through a television screen or tablet computer set up in your hospital room. The nurse can see your electronic health records on their computer screen. The virtual nurse works with your bedside nurse.

Here are some things virtual nurses do. They may:

• Help with your admission to and discharge from the hospital.
• Give general patient education.
• Give discharge instructions to you and your family about at-home care.
• Go through checklists of steps required before and after procedures.
• Answer questions about the medicines you are taking.
• Serve as a second nurse to check your skin and overall appearance.
• Talk about your care with your bedside nurse, your doctor, and other members of your care team.

This allows your bedside nurse to focus on your physical care. Your bedside nurse will:

• Check and monitor your vital signs.
• Give you medicines.
• Have more time to manage your physical needs.
• Respond to call lights.
• Make sure you are comfortable.