Best Practices for Implementing Hospital-Based Virtual Nursing: An Integrative Review

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Nursing workforce faces unprecedented threats like burnout and stress, impacting job satisfaction and retention.
• Virtual nursing emerges as a potential solution, though its implementation in non-ICU settings lacks established best practices.
• Current virtual nursing models are well-established in ICUs but are newer to other hospital areas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify best practices for implementing virtual nursing in inpatient, non-Intensive Care Unit (ICU) settings.
• To address the gap in knowledge regarding virtual nursing implementation outside the ICU.
• To guide healthcare systems in adopting virtual nursing in general hospital units.

Main Methods:

• An integrative review guided by the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice model was conducted.
• Systematic searches of PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane databases were performed.
• Evidence underwent independent screening and appraisal to synthesize findings and develop recommendations.

Main Results:

• Limited evidence from one quasi-experimental study and five quality improvement projects was synthesized.
• Guidance was identified for virtual nurse scope and skills (clinical and soft skills).
• Needs of bedside nurses and patients, and operational concerns for leadership were highlighted.

Conclusions:

• There is a significant lack of information on virtual nursing in non-ICU hospital settings.
• Further research is needed on the impact of virtual nursing on bedside nurses, patients, and leadership.
• Implementation science research is crucial to develop virtual nursing programs and inform best practices.