| Why now?
For years, nurse leaders have been asked to address growing patient needs while making the most of limited resources — that dichotomy is acting as a forcing function for innovation in how care gets delivered. But the answer isn’t asking bedside nurses to shoulder additional tasks; it’s redesigning how teams, and the use of technology, come together to deliver the best possible outcomes. The future of nursing is increasingly collaborative, connected, and technology enabled. Virtual nursing and team-based models are becoming practical solutions to longstanding industry challenges. More focus on patient care
In hybrid staffing models, bedside registered nurses (RNs) work alongside nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses (LPNs), or licensed vocational nurse (LVNs), with virtual nurses brought in to join rounds, keep an eye on patients, and step in with clinical or educational support as situations unfold. These team-based and virtual approaches tend to appear first in acute care settings, where the pressure is constant and the need to improve care quality, ease workload strain, strengthen collaboration, and increase capacity feels immediate. Shared responsibility makes a difference
What comes up in conversations with nursing teams is how positively these models are received by early-career nurses. Shared responsibility makes a difference. And having real-time support available can go a long way in helping nurses build confidence as they grow into their roles. These models work because nurses thrive when administrative burdens and cumbersome workflows are addressed so they can focus on what they’re trained to do: care for patients. The model itself becomes the support system when thoughtfully integrated into existing staff infrastructure. It creates space for nurses to work at the top of their license and to reconnect with the purpose that drew them to the profession in the first place. — By MedCity Influencer Bethany Robertson |
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