Advanced Practice Nurse

Role of Advanced practice nurse

A telenursing survey in 2005 was conducted around the world to assess how Advanced Practice Nurses, APN’s, perceived the impact of telenursing and the future implications. Seventy-five percent reported that telenursing could impact the nursing shortage. APNs reported 18 different practice sites for their telenursing roles and most of their time was spent in the following functions via telehealth: consultation, administration, in-person/face-to-face direct patient care, telemedicine direct patient care, supervision, research, and teaching nursing or other students in health care occupations (Fairchild, Varghese, Deickman, & Castelli , 2014). The data clearly showed that telenursing is typically not a full time

Malasanos and Ramnitz (2013) mentioned that health care shortages affect both physicians and nursing. The nurse is going to have to change the focus of care they provide. Evans (2014) mentioned that one way a nurse can change focus is through Informatics. The Informatics nurse is responsible for designing and supporting information systems and processes with the aim of increasing telemedicine effectiveness (Evans, 2014). Many nurses in school setting now have to have a great background in electronic information and technology. This is the changing aspect that nurses are facing, how to provide care in a technological

Nurses that practice in telemedicine not only have to have state and national license to practice telemedicine, but they also need to have liability coverage (Kepler and McGinty, 2009). Risks in telemedicine comes with misdiagnosis from not being able to visualize the problem via a television screen, or computer monitor. Face-to-face contact does reduce risk of misdiagnosis compared to telemedicine, but telemedicine practice is close. Kepler and McGinty state that providers who practice in telemedicine need to consider government liability, professional liability, and alternative risk vehicles. The nurse needs to be aware of the cost and potential harm of liability coverage. In order for nurses to be successful, we need to be involved when critical decisions and policies are made so we can use new technology such as telemedicine for improving the care of all people, not just those who can afford