Hospital Nurses Doubt Virtual Help

Hospitals are trying out virtual nurses to fix their staffing problems. These virtual nurses use video and messaging to check on patients from far away. But a new study shows that this might not be the solution everyone hoped for. Researchers talked to 880 nurses from 10 different states. They found that more than half of the nurses said virtual nurses don't make their jobs easier. In fact, 10% said it even made their workload worse. Most nurses think virtual nurses help a little with patient care. But only a small group, about 11%, said the help is significant. This shows that virtual nurses might not be as helpful as hospitals thought. Experts say hospitals should be careful before using virtual nurses. There isn't enough proof that they are safe or effective. The study suggests that hiring more nurses in person might be a better way to improve patient care and nurse satisfaction. The study also points out that having more nurses on the ground leads to better results for both patients and nurses. This is something hospitals should think about when looking at new ways to handle staffing issues.