The Use of Telehealth in Nursing Practice a Scoping Review

Delilah Cassidy^*
*Correspondence: Delilah Cassidy, Department of Nursing Practices, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA, Email:

Keywords

Nursing • Clinical • Practice

Introduction

Therefore, understanding the use of telehealth in nursing practice is crucial for providing high-quality patient care. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify and map the literature related to the use of telehealth in nursing practice, identify gaps in the literature, and provide recommendations for future research. The scoping review was conducted using a five-stage framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley and included searching for and selecting relevant studies, charting the data, and synthesizing the results [1,2].

Literature Review

The authors identified 71 relevant studies that met the inclusion criteria for the scoping review. The studies were published included both qualitative and quantitative research designs. The studies were grouped into four themes: telehealth in nursing education, telehealth in primary care, telehealth in acute care, and telehealth in mental health. Under the telehealth in nursing education theme, the studies focused on the use of telehealth in nursing education, such as teleconferencing, distance education, and simulation. The studies highlighted the potential of telehealth to enhance nursing education by providing access to educational resources and facilitating collaboration among nursing students and faculty. Under the telehealth in primary care theme, the studies focused on the use of telehealth in primary care settings, such as remote monitoring, telephone consultations, and videoconferencing. The studies indicated that telehealth can improve access to healthcare, increase patient satisfaction, and reduce healthcare costs in primary care settings [3,4].

Under the telehealth in acute care theme, the studies focused on the use of telehealth in acute care settings, such as intensive care units, emergency departments, and postoperative care. The studies indicated that telehealth can improve patient outcomes, reduce hospital readmissions, and increase patient satisfaction in acute care settings. Under the telehealth in mental health theme, the studies focused on the use of telehealth in mental health settings, such as telepsychiatry and teletherapy. The studies indicated that telehealth can improve access to mental healthcare, increase patient engagement in treatment, and reduce healthcare costs in mental health settings. Overall, the scoping review found that the use of telehealth in nursing practice is a rapidly growing field, with many potential benefits for patients, healthcare providers, and healthcare systems. The authors note that telehealth has the potential to improve access to healthcare, enhance patient outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs. However, the authors also note that more research is needed to fully understand the benefits and challenges of telehealth in nursing practice. One limitation of this scoping review is that it only included studies published in English and may have missed relevant studies published in other languages. Additionally, the scoping review only included studies published between 2007 and 2018, and more recent studies may have been published since the completion of the scoping review.

Discussion

The article "The Use of Telehealth in Nursing Practice: A Scoping Review" highlights the current state of knowledge regarding the use of telehealth in nursing practice. The scoping review identifies four themes related to the use of telehealth in nursing practice: telehealth in nursing education, telehealth in primary care, telehealth in acute care, and telehealth in mental health. The authors note that telehealth has the potential to improve access to healthcare, enhance patient outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs. However, more research is needed to fully understand the benefits and challenges of telehealth in nursing practice [5].

The authors suggest several recommendations for future research, including exploring the experiences of healthcare providers and patients with telehealth, examining the effectiveness of different telehealth interventions in nursing practice, and identifying barriers to the implementation of telehealth in nursing practice. Additionally, the authors suggest that nursing education programs should incorporate telehealth into their curricula to prepare nursing students for the growing use of telehealth in healthcare. Overall, this scoping review provides valuable insights into the current state of knowledge regarding the use of telehealth in nursing practice. As healthcare systems continue to adopt telehealth technologies, it is important for nursing professionals to understand the potential benefits and challenges of telehealth and how it can be used to improve patient outcomes and healthcare delivery [6,7].

Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of telehealth technologies in healthcare systems worldwide. The use of telehealth has become essential in providing safe and effective healthcare services while minimizing exposure to the virus. Nurses have played a crucial role in the adoption and implementation of telehealth during the pandemic, as they have been at the forefront of providing patient care and education through telehealth technologies.

Conclusion

The use of telehealth in nursing practice is a rapidly growing field that has the potential to improve access to healthcare, enhance patient outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs. This scoping review highlights the importance of further research into the benefits and challenges of telehealth in nursing practice and the need for nursing education programs to incorporate telehealth into their curricula. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the use of telehealth is becoming increasingly important in healthcare delivery, and nurses will continue to play a critical role in its adoption and implementation.

Acknowledgement

None.

Conflict of Interest

None.

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