Five health systems have found success in addressing workforce challenges by implementing virtual nursing programs. These programs have been launched to alleviate staffing shortages, reduce workloads for in-person nurses, and improve overall nurse satisfaction and retention.
OSF Healthcare in Peoria, Illinois, initiated virtual nursing to address staffing deficits on its medical-surgical units and ease the workload of in-person nurses. The health system plans to assess the impact of virtual nursing on nurse satisfaction and retention.
MUSC Health in Charleston, South Carolina, is planning to expand its virtual nursing program to four rural hospitals, where nursing shortages are most pronounced.
CommonSpirit Health in Chicago reported that virtual nursing has helped older nurses stay in the profession longer and has eased the workload for nurses overall.
MultiCare Health System in Tacoma, Washington, has used virtual nursing to compensate for nursing shortages and provide existing nurses with "cognitive offload."
Providence, based in Renton, Washington, expanded virtual nursing to nine hospitals in June. According to Syl Trepanier, Chief Nursing Officer at Providence, the shift to virtual nursing was driven by the recognition that traditional recruitment and retention strategies were insufficient to meet the staffing demands, prompting a need for a different approach.
These health systems recognise the need to rethink traditional nursing models and leverage virtual nursing to address workforce challenges effectively.
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