Nurse Insights: What Are the Implications of Telehealth for Nurses?
Telehealth has significantly changed the healthcare industry by providing remote medical services. For nurses, telehealth has brought about new challenges and opportunities. In this article, we will explore the implications of telehealth for nurses, including the skills they need to navigate and use telehealth technology effectively and how telehealth changes the dynamics of the nurse-patient relationship.
What Are the Implications of Telehealth for Nurses?
In our Nurse Insights series, experienced nurses offer an insider’s perspective on the nursing profession by addressing common questions, challenges, and triumphs of their careers.
Telehealth Technology Skills for Nurses
Nurses need a combination of technical and communication skills to navigate and use telehealth technology effectively. Technical skills include knowledge of basic digital tools, troubleshooting technical issues, and maintaining electronic health records. Communication skills are also crucial for video conferencing, emails, and chat-based consultations.
Technical Savvy
Understanding basic digital tools, such as email, electronic health records, and various telehealth software platforms, is first and foremost. In addition, you need to be comfortable with troubleshooting simple technical issues, such as internet connectivity problems, software glitches, or hardware malfunctions.
Communication Skills
Telehealth often relies on video conferencing for patient interaction, calling for proficiency in this mode of communication. You’ll also need strong written communication skills for emails and chat-based consultations, and the ability to convey clear and concise information through these channels is essential.
Digital Documentation
Competence in maintaining electronic health records is critical. You’ll need to document and maintain patient records accurately, adhering to privacy regulations and implementing proper ID verification processes to ensure information security.
Patient Education
You’ll need the ability to educate patients on using telehealth technology, teach them how to download and navigate necessary applications, troubleshoot minor issues, and guide them in setting up the hardware needed for remote health monitoring.
Virtual Physical Assessment Skills
Techniques for virtually assessing a patient’s health condition are an integral part of telehealth nursing skills. Learning to visually evaluate a patient’s appearance, speech, and behavior, and guiding patients to self-administer simple physical examinations can help you assess their health.
Ethical and Legal Understanding
Understanding the ethical and legal aspects of delivering healthcare services through digital platforms is crucial. You must ensure that the services provided comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) laws and respect patient confidentiality.
Empathy and Compassion
Despite the physical barriers, taking a compassionate approach is crucial when interacting with patients. Your ability to understand and sympathize with a patient’s condition can help build a positive and trusting relationship.
Time Management Skills
Organizing schedules to accommodate the needs of the patients while balancing administrative tasks and record-keeping is crucial in managing your work.
