What Is Telehealth Nursing?

Telehealth nursing involves providing care remotely by phone or video chat. It increases access to healthcare and brings greater convenience to the process. For a typical doctor’s visit, you might have to request time off from work, travel to and from the appointment and wait in a waiting room.

This process involves considerable effort compared to using your phone or computer to chat with a provider, such as a telehealth nurse. If you want to help make healthcare more accessible, you might choose a nursing career.

You can learn how to become a telehealth nurse at Xavier University in Ohio. Xavier’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program allows you to earn a quality nursing degree in as few as 16 months, with no prior healthcare experience required.

Before starting the career pathway, research what’s involved with this nursing specialty and what virtual registered nurses (RNs) do during a typical shift. Then, explore the process of becoming a nurse and transitioning into the tele-nursing specialty.

What Is a Telehealth Nurse?

A telehealth RN is a provider who delivers patient care and education via telecommunications technology. This includes standard phone calls and high-tech, HIPAA-compliant videoconferencing platforms that can be used on a computer, tablet or smartphone.

Many RNs work in telehealth to some extent; even those who don’t specialize in telehealth often use phones to contact patients about their post-discharge follow-up questions or update family members about a patient’s surgery. Some nurses, however, focus entirely or almost entirely on delivering care remotely.

Telehealth offers exciting possibilities. Some patients have transportation difficulties, limited mobility or other chronic conditions that limit their ability to get out of the house to see a provider. Telehealth brings care to them. In addition, many patients live in healthcare deserts, without nearby access to clinics and hospitals. Others are immunocompromised and cannot safely be around large numbers of people. Virtual care allows them to talk to a nurse or doctor without driving for hours to reach one in person, and without risking exposure to germs.

Telehealth is also exciting for nursing professionals. While it has some challenges, telehealth can also benefit nurses by limiting their contact with contagious pathogens and helping them avoid workplace injuries caused by lifting and transferring patients.

Telehealth nurses can also help fulfill unique needs and address shortages. For example, they can provide care in schools that cannot staff an on-campus school nurse. They can also help hospitals avoid overcrowded emergency rooms and long waiting times by seeing non-emergent patients remotely.

Day in the Life of a Virtual Nurse

RNs who provide some care remotely, but don’t necessarily specialize in it, will handle the same types of tasks as other RNs. These include administering medications, setting up IV lines and operating medical equipment. On the other hand, nurses specializing in telehealth and providing most or all patient care virtually will generally not perform those types of in-person tasks.

Instead, tele-nurses conduct patient interviews, monitor vital signs using remote digital technology and instruct patients on how to treat small wounds, such as burns or scratches. Telehealth RNs may also evaluate illnesses, such as rashes or allergic responses, and inform patients on a treatment plan.

Patient education is a significant component of telenursing. These RNs often work with patients with chronic diseases, like diabetes or heart disease. They help patients learn how to better manage their conditions at home through sound medication management, other at-home treatments and a healthy lifestyle.

Although telehealth nursing plays a vital role in the healthcare system, it does have limits. Not all health problems can be treated remotely. An effective telehealth RN recognizes which health problems require an in-person appointment and who will refer their patients accordingly.

Why Virtual Nurses Are in Demand

Telehealth isn’t new, but the demand for telehealth nursing significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-person visits could facilitate the spread of the virus.

There remains a strong demand for telehealth services. In 2024, 94% of patients surveyed by Deloitte stated they were interested in having more telehealth visits in the future. In fact, about one in four patients surveyed said they would switch to a new doctor if their current one didn’t offer telehealth services.

How to Become a Telehealth Nurse

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in virtual nursing, Xavier’s ABSN program can serve as a critical first step.

1. Earn Your BSN in as Few as 16 Months

Through a comprehensive curriculum that combines online learning with in-person labs and clinicals, Xavier can help you earn your BSN in as few as 16 months. You’ll gain a robust understanding of nursing theory and the hands-on nursing skills you need to confidently treat patients.

2. Meet Licensure Requirements

After graduating with a BSN, you’ll need a nursing license, earned by passing the NCLEX. Before applying for your authorization to test (ATT), however, you might want to consider obtaining a multistate license. Ohio is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), which means you can apply for a multistate license as a resident of Ohio. With a multistate license, you would be able to practice in Ohio as well as any other member jurisdiction in the NLC. This is a valuable asset for a future telehealth nursing professional.

3. Work as a Registered Nurse

Before you can pursue a career in telehealth, you’ll need clinical experience at the bedside. Plan on spending at least a few years providing in-person clinical care. This experience is crucial because telehealth RNs must have strong patient assessment and patient education skills. Those years of experience providing in-person care will allow you to fine-tune those skills.

4. Meet Competency Standards

As a telehealth nurse, you’ll need to abide by the American Nursing Association standards for safety. Ambulatory care is a significant aspect of telehealth since the role requires you to treat patients in outpatient settings. Thus, you’ll need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills required to provide ambulatory care.

You can become certified through the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nurses (AAACN). Although the AAACN no longer offers a dedicated telehealth certification, the ambulatory care certification is a suitable choice for telehealth RNs, as there is telehealth content on the exam. Obtaining this certification may help support your career aspirations in telehealth.

Telehealth Nurse Salary and Career Outlook

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) doesn’t track employment data for RN specialties, such as a telehealth nurse salary. The employment projections for all types of RNs, however, look quite robust for the foreseeable future. According to the BLS, all RNs made a median annual salary of $93,600 as of May 2024 across all specialties. The job growth rate is projected to be 6% from 2023 through 2033, faster than average, indicating a need for about 197,200 new nurses during this period.

Change Your Life in as Few as 16 Months

Xavier University makes it easier for you to begin your nursing education sooner. With our rolling admissions policy, no waitlist and three start dates per year at two enrollment locations in Cleveland and Columbus, OH, you may start sooner than you think. Plus, unlike other ABSN programs, we only require four prerequisite courses, which your prior non-nursing bachelor’s degree might fulfill.

At Xavier, you can benefit from robust NCLEX prep resources, a supported learning process and Academic Success Coaches. We’re here to facilitate your progress as you work toward launching your nursing career, no matter where that career leads you.

Contact an admissions adviser today to find out if Xavier’s ABSN could be the right choice for you.