Patients' Experiences of a Virtual Nursing Model in an Acute Care Setting: A Mixed-Methods Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Health Informatics
• Patient Care Technology

Background:

• Virtual nursing, enabled by technology, has grown post-pandemic.
• Limited research exists on patient experiences with virtual nursing in medical-surgical acute care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore patient experiences with a co-caring virtual nursing model.
• Focus on medical-surgical acute care settings.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods pilot study.
• Utilized Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) surveys and semistructured patient interviews.
• Analyzed HCAHPS scores and interview data thematically.

Main Results:

• Patients valued virtual nurses as part of the care team.
• Technology was user-friendly and supported communication; privacy concerns diminished.
• Improvements noted in overall care and medication explanations; significant gains in perceived listening and explanation quality.

Conclusions:

• Virtual nursing models in medical-surgical settings can enhance patient experiences.
• Patients generally accepted virtual nurses and the technology.
• Effective introduction strategies are needed; further research is warranted.