There are not enough nurses in the healthcare business right now, and a popular TikTok video by @mrsmotivated has brought to light a new but unsettling solution: the virtual nurse. Over 577,000 people have watched the 1:24-minute video, which shows what patient care will be like in the future at MercyOne Hospital in Mason City, Iowa. Through the eyes of a woman who has recently had a stroke, viewers meet a virtual nurse, who is an unexpected part of her care team.
From Shocked to Impressed: How Virtual Nurses Are Reshaping Healthcare
“There aren’t enough staff in my hospital room.” “They told me, ‘Hey, just so you know, there’s something on the wall that’s going to be your virtual nurse,’” the woman says, her voice a mix of shock and worry. The “thing” she’s talking about is a piece of technology that cuts her off in the middle of her TV show to introduce the virtual nurse. She was both shocked and amazed by how quickly she appeared on the screen. “Guys, this is it at last. But this is crazy as hell. The thought has blown my mind right now. “I’m actually impressed,” she says next, expressing how many patients may feel when they experience this digital change in their care.
The movie that went viral shows that using virtual nurses is a creative way to deal with a serious issue: there aren’t enough nurses to work directly with patients. A median age of 52 and an expected retirement rate of 4.7 million nurses by 2030 are some of the problems that Health Tech Magazine says healthcare organizations are facing with their nurse staff. Virtual nursing has become more popular since the pandemic, and this trend doesn’t look like it will slow down any time soon. Virtual nurses do things like interviewing new patients and giving discharge directions from faraway centers using videoconferencing technology.
“Going forward, none of us will have as many nurses as we would like, so we have to get creative with how we give care,” says Jennifer Ball, who is in charge of virtual care at Saint Luke’s Health System. The TikTok movie by @mrsmotivated shows off a new medical technology, but it also shows how digital tools are becoming more common in patient care.
Mixed Reactions to the Virtual Nurse: Concerns Alongside Excitement
The fact that she has a virtual nurse in her hospital room, which was unthinkable before, shows how the healthcare industry is trying to change for a future where technology and human care will interact more than ever.
Not everyone agreed with how the virtual nurse was set up. Someone wasn’t sure: “What happens if you code?” Does the virtual nurse come in and talk him through it?” “They will pay for that technology but won’t pay their nurses,” wrote someone who didn’t agree with the idea at all. “Omg. I’m really scared“. “How are testing and evaluations done physically?” How are your vitals? IV began?” asked someone else. “Basically, I’m calling you on FaceTime to make sure you’re still alive.” “We are ALLLLLL leaving the bedside… “Get ready for the future,” said someone else. One person even said, “What in the Black Mirror?” – a reference to the Netflix sci-fi show. As healthcare systems continue to deal with the problems caused by a lack of nurses, @mrsmotivated’s story is an interesting look at how patient care is changing.
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