Telehealth in the school setting: an integrative review

Telehealth, the provision of health care through long-distance telecommunications technology, is a tool that can be used by school nurses to address and improve the health status of schoolchildren. The purpose of this literature review is to examine research related to implementation of telehealth in the school setting. A review of the literature was conducted using CINAHL, ERIC, Medline, and PubMed databases and the search terms such as telehealth, telecare, telemedicine, school, and schools. Fifteen research studies related to telehealth in the school setting were identified. Themes identified included benefits, barriers, feasibility, and limitations of telehealth. Implications for practice are presented, along with the potential of telehealth to integrate with the Affordable Care Act. School nurses who use telehealth can further meet the health needs of children in their care. The future of health care and school nursing is changing, and telehealth is a tool that can improve care in an innovative and efficient way.