The Virtual Nurse Program in a Community Hospital Setting

While nursing shortages are not new, the nursing profession is entering a “new era,” that challenges nurse leaders to create novel ways to provide adequate nursing resources and efficient patient care workflows. Virtual nursing care models are emerging as options to provide nursing services to support providers in the immediate bedside patient care environment. This article describes a virtual nursing care program implemented on medical-surgical acute care units to support inexperienced staff, maintain patient safety and quality, and improve patient care outcomes.