Akron Children’s enhances patient care with inpatient virtual nursing program
02-04-2025 (Akron, Ohio)
Akron Children’s launched an inpatient virtual nursing program, an innovative model of care in the pediatric setting that uses new technology to enhance patient care and safety.
The virtual nurse does not replace the bedside nurse or hands-on care. They complement the bedside nursing staff by assisting with documentation, medication management and patient education, allowing the bedside nurse to have more time with patients, build rapport with families and answer questions.
After successfully piloting the program on its 7th floor inpatient medial unit, Akron Children’s expanded the program to four more inpatient units on its Akron campus.
How the Akron Children’s virtual nursing program works
The Akron Children’s virtual nurse program:
- Uses an experienced Akron Children’s nurse who works on-site at the Akron campus and within the unit. The role is not outsourced to a third-party vendor. The nurse will be available 7 days a week, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Allows nurses in the virtual nurse role to split their hours between the bedside and virtual nursing roles so they can maintain strong team integration.
- Uses audio and video equipment to allow for two-way communication between the virtual nurse and the patient and their family as well as other care team members. Visits and monitoring information are not recorded or stored.
- Monitors for common safety risks including safe sleep and fall detection and prevention.
- Uses artificial intelligence, ambient monitoring and machine learning to allow the virtual nurse to monitor multiple patients at the same time and support all aspects of care. An in-room, wall-mounted sensor uses technology to recognize patterns and movements and alerts the virtual nurse when help may be needed, for example, if a patient who is at risk of falling needs to get out of bed.
Video: Virtual nursing during your stay - Akron Children's Hospital video - YouTube
The virtual nurse also assists the bedside nurse and care team with:
- Patient admission/discharge
- Patient and family education
Family-centered rounds- Medication management
- Care coordination
- Mentorship and advice
- Patient and family questions
The results of the Akron Children’s virtual nursing pilot program
Akron Children’s piloted its virtual nursing program from December 2023 to June 2024. The pilot program:
- Resulted in the identification and resolution of 150 patient safety risks incidents such as safety rails down, safe sleep issues, etc.
- Improved patient experience nursing indicator scores
- Improved nurse satisfaction
Reduced time from emergency room order to arrival on unit
“The nursing model is changing. As a result, we must find new ways to approach staffing challenges, new technology and new requirements for providing care. The addition of a virtual nurse to our care delivery model will support the team at the bedside to alleviate workload and provide greater satisfaction for patients and staff,” said Christine Young, chief nursing officer at Akron Children’s. “The success of our pilot program demonstrates how adding a virtual nurse to our care delivery team benefits staff and patient families.”
