Virtual Nursing: How Technology is Supporting Patient Care

Think of a typical scene in an Indian hospital at night, with just one nurse on duty, many patients to attend to, and insufficient time for even one complete round. The nurse-to-population ratio in India is far lower than the recommended international standard, and smaller city hospitals have to contend with this challenge to a greater extent than larger metropolitan hospitals. In such a scenario, virtual nursing has been a way out, whereby the use of video conferencing, sensor technology, and patient monitoring has enabled fewer but more experienced nurses to monitor more patients as well as wards. In this article, I will discuss virtual nursing in detail, its status of adoption in India, and its challenges.

What is Virtual Nursing?

Virtual Nursing describes a care model in which a nurse virtually supports the needs of patients and the bedside nurses by way of video calls, monitoring dashboards, and interconnected devices, but does not necessarily have to be physically present by the bedside of all patients for all tasks. A virtual nurse may help complete the admission process paperwork, give discharge education, or act as the second pair of eyes looking at the patient's vitals, while leaving the bedside nurse free to do the practical work.

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