Bridging the distance: educating nurses for telehealth practice.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Health Informatics
• Telemedicine

Background:

• Isolated populations face challenges accessing consistent health services.
• Nurses play a crucial role in delivering healthcare to remote and underserved communities.
• The integration of technology is vital for expanding healthcare reach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of telehealth technology on nursing health assessments.
• To explore the effectiveness of telehealth for nurses serving isolated populations.
• To assess the relevance and reception of telehealth training for nurses in remote areas.

Main Methods:

• Nurses (N=37) in 13 remote communities received telehealth training.
• Training focused on preoperative and oncology assessments via telehealth.
• Education workshops were conducted across Northwestern Ontario.

Main Results:

• Nurses demonstrated receptiveness to using telehealth technology.
• Post-training surveys confirmed positive nurse attitudes towards telehealth.
• The training content was perceived as highly relevant to telehealth practice.

Conclusions:

• Telehealth is a viable and accepted modality for remote health assessments.
• Training enhances nurses' confidence and competence in telehealth delivery.
• The study supports the expansion of telehealth services for isolated populations.