Health systems have begun having their nurses certified in virtual nursing and helping develop the standards.
West Des Moines, Iowa-based UnityPoint Health became one of the first health systems to have certified virtual nurses on staff, when seven of its employees were among the first 40 people named Certified Acute-Care Virtual Registered Nurses.
"This certification reflects the expertise of our virtual nursing team and demonstrates to our patients and communities that we have the knowledge and skills to deliver high-quality virtual care in the inpatient environment," UnityPoint Health Chief Nursing Officer Sarah Brown, MSN, RN, said in an Oct. 8 statement. "I'm honored to have been a part of the exam development process and continue to be inspired by the partnership between our virtual and bedside nursing teams in caring for our patients."
The new certification is offered through the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board, which invited a handful of health systems to help build the certification exam and shape acute-care virtual nursing standards. Others include Charlotte, N.C.-based Advocate Health and Portland-based Oregon Health & Science University.
UnityPoint Health has one of the largest virtual nursing programs in the country, spanning 12 hospitals, 34 inpatient units and 1,038 beds. The more than 50 virtual nurses assist bedside nurses with admissions, discharges, assessments, care plans, and patient and family education, leading to an 8% increase in patients' grasp of how to manage their care at home.