APRNs' perception of telehealth use

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Delivery
• Nursing Practice
• Digital Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated telehealth adoption, highlighting its importance in healthcare accessibility.
• Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are crucial for telehealth services, yet their perspectives are underrepresented in research.
• Existing studies on provider telehealth perceptions often lack inclusion of APRN participants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the perceptions of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) regarding the use of telehealth.
• To understand APRNs' experiences with patient rapport, satisfaction, and perceived quality of care via telehealth.
• To contribute the APRN viewpoint to the existing literature on telehealth provider perceptions.

Main Methods:

• A quantitative, descriptive study design was employed.
• An electronic survey was administered to a convenience sample of APRNs within a single state.
• Seventy-five APRNs, predominantly Nurse Practitioners (NPs), completed the survey.

Main Results:

• Most APRNs successfully established or maintained patient rapport and perceived patient satisfaction with telehealth visits.
• Participants reported an average of 2.57 years of experience conducting telehealth visits.
• Over one-third of APRNs felt new patients received somewhat worse care via telehealth compared to in-person visits; 25% reported similar concerns for established patients.

Conclusions:

• Overall, APRNs hold positive perceptions of telehealth, with a majority expressing a desire to continue its use.
• Despite some concerns regarding care quality, APRNs view telehealth as a valuable modality for future healthcare provision.
• This study provides essential insights into the APRN perspective on telehealth, enriching the current body of knowledge.