A majority of nurses reported critical care telemedicine programs allowed them to provide improved patient care, according to a study published in the American Journal of Critical Care.
The survey — conducted by researchers from Rush Medical in Chicago and UMass Memorial in Worcester, Mass., among others — assessed 1,213 nurses who work in intensive care telemedicine units on their perceptions of ICU telemedicine processes and programs. Eligible participants included nurses who were currently working in tele-ICU settings, including remote monitoring sites and units that interface with those sites. Below are five takeaways:
1. Approximately 86 percent of tele-intensive nurses agreed or strongly agreed tele-ICU systems offered nurses an opportunity to provide improved patient care.
2. Of respondents, 63 percent agreed or strongly agreed that using tele-intensive care enables them to accomplish tasks more quickly.
3. Of respondents, 64 percent agreed or strongly agreed tele-intensive units improved job performance.
4. Nurses said benefits of tele-intensive care included the ability to detect trends in vital signs, detect unstable physiological status, provide medical management and enhance patient safety.
5. Nurses said the greatest telemedicine barriers include technical problems, interruptions in care, perceptions of telemedicine as an interference and negative attitudes about telemedicine by staff.