January 11, 2022
Nursing is a challenging profession that is constantly innovating to meet the needs of patients. For years, nurses used telephone consultations to work with their patients remotely. Today, nurses and patients use telehealth technology to meet each other in the online virtual world. As a Registered Nurse (RN), telehealth nursing technology can allow you to work one-on-one with your patients.
Nursing and the Changing Digital World
Making an appointment at the doctor's office isn't the only way to get healthcare. Telehealth uses technology like cell phones and internet access to provide healthcare services. It gives your patients a way to take control of their healthcare. It can be especially helpful for people living outside of cities or where there are no medical facilities. Do some of your patients have a hard time getting to the doctor's office? Does a patient need to see a medical specialist that's in another area? Telehealth could be the answer.
As telehealth RNs, you provide highly-trained nursing care to your patients when you meet with them online. Patients can meet with you via their smartphones, personal desktop computer, or tablet from the privacy of their homes. Visits can differ based on the patient's situation and current needs.
A few examples of services you can provide through telehealth include:
- RNs use medical rules, computer codes, or guidelines to test patient needs and check for signs of illness.
- Telehealth RNs advise their patients on how to care for themselves. They educate their patients on how to handle emergency situations and how to manage their long-term health issues.
- Working together, RNs and their patients develop plans for taking care of themselves. Telehealth nurses help their patients set up services from other healthcare providers like physical therapists or pain management specialists.
- Care plans may include guidelines for immediate or long-term care. Plans can cover instructions for contacting the nurse or instructions for family and friends who take care of the patient.
- RNs test how well treatments are working, monitor the results, then change care plans as needed.
Today's telehealth technology is improving at a fast rate. This means telehealth nurses must stay up-to-date on the latest best practices, rules, and guidelines.
Strategies and Tactics for Staying Up-to-Date
Modern medicine and technology go hand-in-hand. Staying up to date on the latest information and the newest inventions is very important to providing the best care to your patients.
With this in mind, let's look at a few strategies and tactics you can use to keep current in your field of practice.
Continuing Education Opportunities
Most states require nurses to complete continuing education (CE) to keep their licenses current. This is one of the best ways to stay up-to-date on nursing best practices.
The beauty of CE is its variety and flexibility. A simple internet search will provide a number of locations offering CE in different forms. Some of the most popular formats include:
- Live classes through local universities and teaching hospitals.
- Online courses through nursing associations, local colleges, and universities, and teaching hospitals.
- Webinars are available on a wide variety of topics. Most are provided by local universities and teaching hospitals.
- Private businesses like pharmaceutical or medical supply companies and insurance companies also offer CE programs.
Any of these will help you keep current on what's happening in the medical field in general and nursing in particular.
Read More: The 9 Best Nursing Certifications for Career Advancement
Self-Study Modules
For many nurses, it's a question of time. In-person and live online classes may include a set timeline for completion. If this proves incompatible with your schedule, a self-study education module may be the best way to go. You can sign up for these through local universities and colleges, professional nursing associations and organizations, and businesses that specialize in educational material.
Self-study modules are available in a wide range of topics. Requirements for completion can vary so be certain you check the instructions before signing up. Generally, these types of courses are not timed, meaning you have an open-ended due date.
The program will usually track the amount of time you spend on the material. Courses usually include reading assignments and video lectures. Once you meet the requirements, you can take the exit exam and earn the CE credits attached to it.
Conferences and Workshops
Conferences and workshops are available as in-person events and online in live formats. In-person events allow you to practice using telecommunication software. This is a plus for telehealth nurses.
Attending on-site conferences and workshops requires you to plan around work schedules. This is where an employer's supportive nursing administration comes in handy. Most employers are accommodating when it comes to professional educational conferences and workshops.
You'll find more flexibility in online conferences and workshops. There's usually a live webinar session that you can attend in real-time. A recorded version is usually posted for those who need to study the information at a different time.
Mentoring
One of the best ways to learn the ins and outs of telehealth nursing is to find an experienced telehealth nurse who will mentor you. Mentoring can be done formally or informally. You can arrange a formal mentorship through a hospital or other employer, a nursing school, or a nurses' association.
Nursing In the Virtual World
Nursing is an exhilarating, exciting job, made even more so by embracing technological advances in providing quality patient care. Make certain you're prepared to face this new virtual world by staying up to speed on the latest trends and developments in nursing.
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