Real nursing? The development of telenursing

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice
• Health Informatics
• Telehealth

Background:

• Nurse-led telephone helplines represent a significant advancement in nursing practice within the United Kingdom.
• The introduction of these services marks a new era in healthcare delivery and nurse utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of telenursing from the perspectives of nurses providing the service.
• To understand the views of nurses in traditional roles regarding telenursing.

Main Methods:

• A structured questionnaire was distributed to 111 nurses at NHS Direct Wales.
• A response rate of 83% was achieved with 92 completed questionnaires.
• Two focus groups were conducted with telephone service nurses (n=8) and other nurses (n=5).

Main Results:

• Nurses joined telenursing for better salary and flexible work, with two-thirds reporting increased job satisfaction.
• Skill development occurred, but decision support software and remote consultations presented challenges.
• Concerns were raised about telenursing being 'real' nursing and equitable access for disadvantaged groups.

Conclusions:

• Policy tensions exist between developing new technological nursing skills and valuing hands-on care.
• Addressing these tensions is crucial for integrating telenursing services effectively within the broader healthcare system.
• The study highlights the need for clear recognition and evidence base for telenursing roles.