Answering America’s Need for Virtual Nurses

America is facing a healthcare crisis. Estimates say the U.S. is already experiencing a shortfall of over 78,000 full-time registered nurses (RNs). By 2030, it will need another 1.2 million. This could have dire consequences for America’s aging population, where almost a third of Americans will soon be over the age of 65. Where will that leave U.S. seniors when there aren’t enough nurses to staff hospitals, care homes, or clinics? Could virtual nursing be the stop-gap measure? Studies show it’s a promising solution, with better outcomes for patients and healthcare providers, yet to answer America’s need for virtual nurses, we might have to look outside the U.S.

How Bad is the Nursing Shortage?

Just two years ago, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) called nursing shortages a global health emergency. In America, the exit of over 100,000 nursing professionals during COVID left a strain on the healthcare system. Understaffed and overworked, 40% of America’s remaining nurses now plan to leave the profession in the next 5 years, leading to a shortfall of over 1 million nurses by 2030, and critical shortages in at least ten states.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, that means 194,000 RN openings will have to be filled each year, right at a time when America will be looking down the barrel of a “silver tsunami” comprised of 71 million Americans over the age of sixty five. As they age, they will face more complex medical conditions and caregiving requirements. But, who will care for America’s seniors if there aren't enough nurses to go around?

The pandemic already had a devastating effect on the nursing profession, leading to burnouts, fatigue, and an alarming exodus of nurses under the age of 35. While many have since returned, 88% of RNs are already employed full-time, which leaves little in reserve as America’s Boomers enter a time of life where they will require more care.

Why We Can’t Rely on Schools or Immigration to Solve the Problem

Unfortunately, we can’t “train” our way out of this dilemma. Though there is still great interest in the nursing profession, schools can’t keep up with the demand. Shortages in everything from teachers to classrooms forced some nursing schools to turn away more than 65,000 qualified applicants, who could have helped fill the nursing gap, but who were unable to pursue their studies due to insufficient spaces.

This problem will only get worse as the median age for nurses is now approaching 50 years old. In a decade, more will start retiring, causing potential bottlenecks in everything from nurse training to residencies, particularly in rural communities, where severely understaffed hospitals simply do not have the capacity to train the next generation of nurses.

Which is why many health systems have turned to immigration, launching recruitment programs aimed at attracting foreign-born nurses. It is now estimated that 16% of America’s RNs are immigrants, filling vacancies in about one third of U.S. hospitals. However, current policies often limit employers’ ability to hire foreign workers. The H-1B visa, for example, is often used to bring in foreign doctors and nurses. But its annual cap of 65,000 has been reached yearly since 2008.

Then there’s the U.S’ escalating crackdown on immigration, which makes America a less attractive destination for medical students or practicing professionals from other countries. It could even endanger the over 1 million non-citizen healthcare workers currently residing in the U.S., one third who are without legal status.

Virtual Nursing: The Tech-Driven Solution

Healthcare groups are now turning to tech-driven solutions, like virtual nursing, to fill critical care gaps. Remote RNs are assisting with everything from hospital admissions to health record updates, taking on administrative tasks that would normally occupy 26% to 41% of a nurse’s shift, thus allowing on-site nurses to focus more on patient care.

According to some pilot programs, it’s already leading to better patient outcomes and higher staff retention. Abington Hospital in Philadelphia saw a 7% drop in patient length of stay and a 2% reduction in re-admission rates after implementing virtual nursing, while Covenant Medical Center in Texas and Fish Memorial in Florida both saw over 70% decreases in nurse turnover after pairing on-site nurses with virtual ones.

What makes virtual nursing so effective is that it doesn’t rely on geography, or a strong local staffing pool. It can happen from anywhere. HCA Healthcare in Nashville, Tennessee, has a command center in Denver, Colorado that monitors patients across eight hospitals. While Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health plans to roll out virtual nurses to its network of hospitals across 21 states.

This, however, does not solve the problem entirely. Because virtual or otherwise, the U.S. is facing a huge nursing shortfall and simply won’t have enough RNs to manage the country’s aging population. In fact, healthcare groups may have to go a step further - sourcing virtual nurses outside the U.S.

Deliver Exceptional Care at Scale with itel Med

The good news is that virtual nursing doesn’t have to be local. In fact, the Caribbean can be a great outsourcing option due to its proximity, lower staffing costs and larger pool of qualified nursing professionals, trained in U.S. healthcare standards, U.S. privacy laws and regulations.

itel Med can be the virtual nurse solution that allows you to expand care to more individuals across the U.S., ensuring 24/7 coverage and better continuity of care. Designed with hospitals, clinics, and telehealth organizations in mind, we connect you with licensed, Jamaica-based registered nurses, who can help with everything from routine triage and scheduling to virtual follow-ups and chronic care management, with remote patient monitoring that fosters early intervention.

This not only allows on-site staff to concentrate on patients needing hands-on support, but also ensures no patient falls through the cracks by delivering easily scalable care through a secure, browser-based platform. It’s the perfect solution to America’s nursing shortage - care that can be accessed anywhere, anytime, so patients get the support they need, especially as they age.

Want to learn more? Ensure comprehensive care management with itel Med.

Contact our team today at [email protected]