Just as spring ushers in a sense of growth and renewal, across Johns Hopkins Nursing we are also experiencing the excitement of new beginnings.
Throughout March and April, an innovative new care delivery model launched in several units at four of our Johns Hopkins Medicine hospitals: virtual nursing, which uses secure two-way audio and video communications to enhance patient care and provide support to nurses at the bedside.
In patient rooms on units where virtual nursing is being piloted, special devices have been installed. Two infrared cameras offer up-close and wide-angle views of the room. A microphone and soundbar are integrated into the room’s television. Through this equipment, the virtual nurse—an actual human being—works collaboratively with the care team to provide real-time care and communicate with the patient and care partners. Think of it as having a Zoom or Facetime call through your TV, where you can truly focus on the person in front of you.
So, what can nurses even do if they’re not in the room with the patient? A whole lot, it turns out. Among other things, virtual nurses engage with patients to provide education, administer assessment questions, plan for discharge and complete documentation—duties that do not require physical examinations or tests. This gives bedside nurses more time to do what they do best—hands-on clinical care and leading their teams.
The virtual nurses are based in a centralized workspace, known as the HIVE (Hospital Inpatient Virtual Environment), within the hospital. The HIVE is set up so virtual nurses can clearly and privately communicate with patients and care teams while accessing electronic medical records, policies, quality dashboards, and more.
The virtual nurses themselves are our own, experienced Johns Hopkins RNs who have received special training. They are trusted, consistent members of the care team, many of whom split their time between the HIVE and the bedside. When in the HIVE, the virtual nurses work closely with staff members on the unit to support care and provide an additional set of eyes and ears on patients.
Research shows that the benefits of virtual nursing are many. It is shown to improve patient experience, satisfaction, quality outcomes, and throughput, while reducing length of stay and readmissions. For nurses, major benefits include a decrease in documentation duties with an increase in retention and engagement. Virtual nursing can also be a career path beyond the bedside for those who have retired or left direct patient care. Experienced virtual nurses can also serve as mentors and valued colleagues for nurses entering the workforce. Spending less time on documentation frees bedside nurses up to provide more hands-on care and to practice at the top of their licenses. A win-win for all involved.
We are so excited that virtual nursing is finally here and are grateful to our teams and generous donors who have helped us bring this to fruition. The vision of virtual health at Johns Hopkins includes representation from all of our team members and researchers, including faculty from the Johns
Hopkins School of Nursing. If you would like to learn more, please visit hopkinsmedicine.org/patient-care/virtual-nursing. ◼
Deborah Baker, DNP, AG-ACNP, NEA-BC, FAAN, is senior vice president for nursing for the Johns Hopkins Health System.