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Nurse Types / Telehealth Nurse

During the pandemic, telehealth nursing gained in popularity because it was a socially distant healthcare solution. Patients easily could be assessed by telehealth nurses and sometimes treated without ever needing to step foot into a clinic, hospital, or physician’s office.

Telehealth is not a new concept. The earliest versions of telehealth launched in the late 1950s when the Nebraska Psychiatric Institute and Norfolk State Hospital established a closed-circuit link for conducting psychiatric consultations. It has continued to evolve since those early iterations.

As technology advances, so does how nurses and other telehealth services providers conduct patient assessments and deliver care.

If becoming a telehealth nurse is in your future, read on to learn:

• What is a telehealth nurse?
• What do telehealth nurses do?
• Where do telehealth nurses work?
• What are specific types of telehealth nurses?
• How do you become a telehealth nurse in 3 steps?
• What are additional requirements of telehealth nurses?
• What are the salary and career outlooks for telehealth nurses?
• FAQs

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What is a telehealth nurse?

Telehealth nurses are registered nurses (RNs) who rely on various forms of technology and electronic devices to deliver healthcare to patients. Offering healthcare from a distance can be a sophisticated operation, with telehealth nurses playing a significant role.

They can assist with minor health problems or determine if emergency care is needed. Delivering healthcare remotely not only improves efficiency but also provides equity in patient access to healthcare. The American Telemedicine Association encourages all telemedicine practitioners to provide excellent care to their patients. Telemedicine should provide the same level of service as in-person care.

Qualities of a successful telehealth nurse

Telehealth nurses use a lot of technology for their jobs, so you must be technology-proficient to be successful in this role. Call-in consultations can be quite a different experience for patients, so you must be caring, friendly, and positive.

Other qualities that help you succeed include:

• Being a good listener
• Being a team player
• Speaking with a clear voice
• Understanding the limitations of technology

What does a telehealth nurse do?

As with all nursing professionals, the roles and responsibilities of telehealth nurses can vary depending on their employer and their nursing specialty. Here are some of the most common duties of telehealth nurses:

• Assisting doctors with patient loads by determining which patients require physician intervention and which can be treated remotely.
• Consulting with patients via video chat or over the phone to assess healthcare needs.
• Educating patients about symptom management.

A day in the life of a telehealth nurse

In this role, you’ll do more than simply counsel patients over the phone. Modern technology like computers and audio-visual accessories allows you to monitor patient health and interact more seamlessly.

During the course of a normal shift, you also might:

• Monitor patient vitals like blood glucose or oxygen levels remotely and report any issues to the patient’s healthcare team.
• Offer medical advice for patients suffering from minor health issues.
• Schedule appointments and referrals for patients to see specialists.

Common conditions treated by telehealth nurses

Telehealth nurses can’t treat every health condition because some require an in-person physical examination for proper diagnosis. However, some of the most common health concerns you can expect to handle include:

• Back pain not accompanied by additional symptoms
• Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
• Diabetes (check-ins or follow-ups with established patients)
• Flu, Covid-19, and other infectious diseases
• Mental health concerns (anxiety, depression)
• Urinary tract infections

Where do telehealth nurses work?

One of the biggest perks of telehealth nursing is it can be done virtually anywhere. Some telehealth nurses can work from the comfort of their own homes depending on their employers.

When they aren’t working out of their homes, telehealth nurses work in a variety of settings, including:

• Clinics
• Hospitals
• Outpatient care facilities
• Physician’s offices
• Trauma centers

What are specific types of telehealth nurses?

There are four types of telehealth. Each of the four types needs telehealth nurses to run smoothly.

• Live video telehealth nurses use audio-visual technology to have real-time appointments with patients who can see and hear them simultaneously.
• Mobile health telehealth nurses use mobile communication devices like cell phones and tablets to send health alerts and other healthcare information to patients.
• Remote patient monitoring telehealth nurses are responsible for using technology to collect and analyze data about their patients.
• Store-and-forward telehealth nurses take electronically transmitted information like digital images and documents and forward them to a specialist.

Closely related fields

If you’re looking for healthcare careers that are like telehealth nursing, you have a few options. each of these nursing careers can be done from home.

• Case managers typically work for hospice and home care centers. They create personalized evaluation and treatment plans.
• Nurse consultants serve as subject-matter experts and can work for health care centers, insurance companies, and medical plans.

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How do you become a telehealth nurse in 3 steps?

Becoming a telehealth nurse requires several years of schooling, RN licensure, plus targeted experience in the field to help you accumulate the right skills for the job. Follow these three steps to get started in your new nursing career.

Step 1 – Become a registered nurse

Telehealth nurses must obtain a Registered Nurse (RN) licensure as part of the requirements for working in this nursing field. Nurses have several options for becoming an RN. You can either earn an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

Earn a BSN degree

While it’s possible to become an RN with an ADN, most employers prefer – and some require – a BSN degree to work for them. You have several paths to earning a bachelor’s degree.

If you’re already an RN, you can opt for a RN to BSN program to fast-track your degree. Do you already hold a bachelor’s degree in an unrelated field? No problem! You qualify for enrollment in an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) degree program.

Pass the NCLEX exam

The next step toward your career as a telehealth nurse is to pass the NCLEX exam. Your exam can have between 75 and 265 questions designed to evaluate your competency as an entry-level RN.

If you fail the test on your first try, you must wait 45 days before you can take it again.

Step 2 – Accumulate experience

Once you’re a licensed RN, you must seek out experience to help you build the necessary skills for working as a telehealth nurse. Most nurses work in a traditional RN role for up to two years before applying for a telehealth nursing position.

Helpful skills and experience

Because telehealth nursing is done in a virtual setting, you must develop excellent communication skills to compensate for the lack of face-to-face contact with your patients. It’s also advisable to accumulate as much bedside care experience as possible so you have hands-on experience with common health conditions you’ll someday be treating virtually.

Changing your specialty to a telehealth nurse

If you’re already working as an RN, it’s not difficult to switch gears and begin a new career as a telehealth nurse. You may want to take some continuing education courses focused on this nursing specialty to prepare you for the challenges associated with telehealth medicine.

Step 3 – Obtain certifications

A final step in the process is to earn certification. While there is no specific certification for telehealth nursing, one of the most popular options is the Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification (RN-BC), offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Candidates must meet certain requirements before they qualify for certification:

• Hold a current RN license
• Have 2 years of experience as a full-time RN
• Have a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice in ambulatory care or telehealth nursing within the most recent 3 years
• Have completed 30 hours of continuing education in ambulatory care or telehealth nursing within the most recent 3 years

Telehealth nurses must complete continuing education requirements to maintain their certifications. Incredible Health offers free nursing CEUs. Create a free account, complete course requirements for renewing certification and other professional development mandates, and get instant certificates.

What are additional requirements of telehealth nurses?

Like other RNs, telehealth nurses must renew their licensure periodically. You can check with your state licensing board to get the specifics on renewal for your state of practice.

You also must keep any certifications current by following the guidelines from the certifying bodies. Some require passing an exam every couple of years, while others may require continuing education in specific health care topics.

What are the salary and career outlooks for telehealth nurses?

Telehealth is a win-win for both healthcare providers and patients. By April 2021, 84% of physicians said they were offering virtual visits, with 57% saying they planned to continue offering telemedicine because patients preferred it. This nursing is not just popular with patients. Nursing professionals interested in exploring more flexible work opportunities find it to be a suitable career option.

By 2028, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts a need for 371,500 additional nurses in the healthcare workforce. The annual average salary of a telehealth nurse is $93,730.

Job satisfaction

Most telehealth nurses enjoy their jobs because they often can work from the comfort of their own homes. RNs who make the most of professional development opportunities tend to have the highest satisfaction rates.

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Next steps

The sky is the limit for telehealth nurses who want to advance their careers. You can choose to continue your education, earning a Master of Science in Nursing degree that opens career opportunities in leadership and management roles.

You also might want to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), expanding your role to allow for more autonomy in your healthcare career.

FAQs

Nurse Types / Hospice Nurse Practitioner

Hospice nurse practitioners have a tough job. Like everyone on the hospice care team, it is a hospice nurse practitioner’s responsibility to help individuals through the end-of-life process.

Becoming a hospice nurse practitioner is not for every nurse. These nurses must have the right attitude and coping skills to deliver top-notch care in a hospice setting.

In this article we will explore:

• What is hospice nursing?
• What do hospice nurse practitioners do?
• How do you become a hospice nurse practitioner?
• What is the salary and job outlook for hospice nurse practitioners?
• FAQs

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What is hospice nursing?

Hospice nursing is an umbrella term used to describe end-of-life care for patients from several different nursing professionals.

This can include Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistants to Hospice Nurse Practitioners. Each has a unique role in delivering hospice care to patients.

Hospice nursing centers help patients and their families feel more comfortable with death and ensure they have the emotional support needed throughout the process.

The place of a hospice nurse practitioner on the hospice team is unique. They serve as a sort of spokesperson for the patient and their family, relaying details about changing medical information and adjusting the care protocol, as needed.

What do hospice nurse practitioners do?

Hospice NPs are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) who specialize in hospice care. They primarily provide care to patients with diagnosed illnesses like cancer, dementia, heart failure, and other diseases that typically shorten the patient’s lifespan to around six months.

Hospice care focuses on pain management to improve the quality of life for however long the patient has left to live. Hospice NPs collaborate with other members of the hospice care team, including physicians, social workers, spiritual advisers, and bereavement counselors.

A large part of their job involves continually assessing hospice patient medications to ensure they don’t cause the patient discomfort.

Some other common duties of a hospice NP include:

• Advocate for patients and their families to ensure they receive the best possible care
• Administer and interpret diagnostic tests
• Create, manage, and update patient care plans, as needed
• Dispense medications and other treatments to patients in hospice care facilities
• Perform physical exams
• Record medical symptoms and patient health history

How to become a hospice nurse practitioner

Like other NP specialties, hospice NPs must obtain some of the highest levels of education to work in their chosen field.  Extensive experience in a hospice care setting and optional certification help prepare them for their work. Here are the steps involved in the process.

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Degree

This is the first step in the journey to becoming a hospice NP. The program can take 3 to 4 years to complete depending on availability for taking courses. If someone is not currently working as a nurse, it could take the full 4 years between working and schooling. Registered nurses (RNs) can accelerate the process with an RN-to-BSN program.

Step 2: Pass the NCLEX-RN

Some nurses already hold RN licensure before they decide to advance their career by becoming a hospice nurse practitioner. If they already hold an RN license, this step can be skipped. All other candidates must pass the NCLEX-RN exam.

Step 3: Gain Relevant Experience

Once you have your RN license, most nurses choose to gain some experience in hospice care at the RN level. Other nurses opt to go directly to the next step, which is to apply to graduate nursing school.

Step 4: Earn a Graduate Degree in Nursing

The minimum education requirement for hospice nurse practitioners is a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). It takes between 18 and 24 months to earn a graduate degree. There are RN-MSN programs available, as well as RN-DNP. Candidates who pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) often choose to work in academic or research settings.

Step 5: Become a Certified NP

Certification from an accredited national certification organization is the final step in the career path as a hospice nurse practitioner. The Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) offers several certification options. Another recognized credentialing body is the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO).

What is the salary and job outlook for hospice nurse practitioners?

Nurse practitioners from all specialties are in high demand. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioners can expect a 40% from 2021 to 2031. Hospice nurse practitioners earn a median annual salary of $96,403, with a range of $90,691 to $100,754.

FAQs

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Nurse Types / Cath Lab Nurse

Cath labs use imaging equipment designed to examine the heart’s arteries to ensure there is adequate blood flow to and from the heart. A cath lab nurse’s role is to help assists doctors and provides care to cardiac patients during the post-catheterization recovery period.

In this article we will explore:

• What do cath lab nurses do?
• Steps to becoming a cath lab nurse
• Cath lab nursing FAQs
  • Where can cath lab nurses work?
  • What is the average cath lab nurse salary?

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What do cath lab nurses do?

Cath lab nurses are a vital part of the cath lab care team. Their primary role is to assist cardiologists during the catheterization procedure. A cath lab nurse assists doctors and provides care to cardiac patients during the post-catheterization recovery period.

They examine patients before the procedure and monitor their vitals throughout the entire process. Responsibilities of cath lab nurses include:

• Ensuring consent paperwork for the patient is completed and filed in the patient’s chart
• Preparing patients for the procedure, which can include sterilization and shaving areas where the catheter will be inserted
• Monitoring sedation levels during and after catheterizations to ensure a patient is not experiencing an adverse reaction
• Assisting in interventional procedures such as balloon angioplasty, stent placement, and rotation
• Monitoring patients for signs of infections or side effects following the catheterization
• Delivering discharge paperwork and instructions to patients and families that include details on medications, activities, and dietary restrictions following the procedure 
• Updating patient charts with specific information about the procedure

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Steps to becoming a cardiac cath lab nurse

1. Education

Acquiring the necessary education and experience is the first step for anyone who is interested in working in a cardiac cath lab.

The first step is to become a registered nurse (RN) by pursuing an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited nursing program. Candidates also must pass the NCLEX-RN.

2. Gaining experience and connections

Once candidates become RNs, then they must gain experience in either a trauma hospital or cardiac care center. While working in these positions, RNs should network with cardiologists and cardiac intensivists. It will be these relationships that pave the way for a smooth transition into the cardiac cath lab.

3. Certifications

In addition to earning an RN degree, cardiac cath lab nurses are expected to earn Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications.

While not required, cardiac cath lab nurses are urged to consider obtaining Cardiac Vascular Nursing Certification. RNs can earn this certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). To qualify for the certification, RNs must:

• Hold a current RN license in any U.S. state or territory
• Have a minimum of 2 years of experience as an RN
• Have a minimum of 2,000 clinical practice hours in cardiac-vascular nursing in the last 3 years
• Have completed 30 hours of CEU for cardiac-vascular nursing within the last 3 years

Cath lab nurses also may wish to consider earning a Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certification. It is administered by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). There are requirements RNs must meet before applying for CCRN certification.

However, to qualify for this certificate, you must have practiced as an RN or APRN for 5 years with a minimum of 2,000 hours in the direct care of acute or critically ill adult patients. 144 of those hours must have been worked in the most recent year

Hospitals and cardiac care facilities may require additional certifications. It is an important question to ask when applying for cath lab nursing positions to ensure you meet all requirements.

4. Keeping your CEUs up to date

Cath lab nurses must also complete continuing education units (CEUs) to maintain their licensure in certain states. All but 13 states require cath lab nurses to earn continuing education credits or contact hours every 2 years. Contact hours and CEUs that focus on cardiac care are essential for renewing licensure.

Cath lab nursing FAQs

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