Telehealth and Nursing: Careers in the Remote Healthcare Landscape

Digital communication has made it exponentially easier to share information and communicate across geographic boundaries. It has also yielded benefits specific to the healthcare industry. Today, patients can meet many of their routine medical needs via virtual appointments and services.

According to Becker’s Hospital Review, 91% of health leaders in 2024 have operational telehealth programs, and 71% have increased their offerings. This has created new career opportunities for nurses. If you want to upskill to offer telehealth services or transition into a more remote role, explore continuing education courses at NurseCE4Less, such as Empathy in the Clinician-Patient Relationship and in Telemedicine. 

What Is Telehealth Nursing?

Telehealth nursing is the intersection of clinical care with advanced communication technology. Nurses can conduct appointments and offer treatment recommendations through webcams, video conferencing software, and mobile devices.

Lack of proximity means certain tests, treatment options, or physical interventions aren’t possible. Even so, many nursing responsibilities can be fulfilled in a telehealth setting. Examples of telehealth services include:

• Interviewing patients to evaluate their current symptoms
• Noting family histories and medical concerns
• Using apps and digital tools to monitor basic vitals, such as oxygen level and heart rate
• Assessing whether emergency care or other interventions are necessary

What Are the Benefits of Telehealth Nursing?

Telehealth nursing can yield several benefits for patients and nurses alike. For nurses, some of the benefits include:

• Lowered risk of disease transmission
• Faster turnaround times 
• Lower overhead for health facilities
• Greater ability to serve patients in rural or underserved areas so they can receive specialized care
• Increased opportunities to provide remote preventative care
• Greater flexibility and work/life balance

For patients, the benefits can include:

• Greater opportunity to seek care from specialists, especially in underserved areas
• Ability to get care without leaving the home
• Reduced likelihood of being exposed to illnesses

What Are Telehealth Nursing Career Options?

Telehealth can provide career opportunities for new and more experienced nurses. Consider a few examples of career paths you can pursue in telehealth.

Triage Nursing

Triage nurses can assess symptoms and medical histories and direct patients toward relevant specialists. This helps patients get the right care the first time and allows health organizations to work more efficiently. In telehealth settings, these nurses might evaluate patient symptoms via a video call, take inventory of the patient’s history, and then refer them to another remote or in-person provider as appropriate.

To learn more about triage and patient assessment, explore courses like Abdominal Pain: Assessment of Acute and Chronic Pain, Assessment and Treatment Planning of Wound Types, and Suicide Prevention – Inpatient and Outpatient Assessment of Risk, Treatment, and Progress at NurseCE4Less

Follow-Up Care

Nurses can also find work providing follow-up care for patients who have received initial treatment or surgical intervention. Follow-up care nurses assess patient recoveries, address any lingering questions, and help to minimize the risk of complications. These nurses might work closely with a physician or a team of physicians.

You can learn about surgical interventions and follow-up care in specific situations in the Vascular Surgery: Etiology and Diagnosis of Aortic Aneurysms and Postpartum Obstetrical Care of the Mother and Newborn courses at NurseCE4Less. 

Advanced Practice Nursing

Nurses who receive advanced training and licensure for roles such as Nurse Practitioner (NP) have many telehealth opportunities. In many states, nurses who gain NP certification can evaluate, diagnose, and prescribe. This may include submitting prescriptions for telehealth patients to fill. Advanced practice nurses may also find work in specialized clinics that provide remote services, such as congestive heart clinics.

You can explore advanced practice nursing courses such as Child and Adolescent Suicide Prevention: Role of the APRN in a Quality Improvement Plan for Suicide Risk Screening, as well as Dehydration and Volume Depletion and Varicose Veins at NurseCE4Less.

Pursuing a Career in Telehealth Nursing

If you want to pursue telehealth work, you should develop the right portfolio of skills and credentials. This entails a combination of formal training as well as on-the-job experience.

Earn a Nursing Degree

To practice any kind of nursing, you need an undergraduate nursing degree. This usually means a bachelor’s degree, though in some cases an associate’s degree is permitted. An advanced degree may not be necessary but opens the door to advanced practice positions and higher salary ranges. 

Obtain Certification

Earning a registered nurse (RN) license requires passing the NCLEX-RN, which is administered by the relevant state nursing board. This exam tests for basic patient care skills and clinical competence. Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and licensed vocational nurses need to pass the NCLEX-PN. 

Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) need to fulfill additional certification requirements and must pursue an advanced degree, such as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). APRNs may obtain certification as NPs, nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists, and more. 

You’ll need to renew your nursing certification. You should review your state’s renewal requirements and find relevant courses to satisfy your continuing education quota. 

Gain Telehealth Experience

Before transferring into telehealth care, you should pursue remote nursing shifts. This provides a good opportunity to test the communication and technology skills needed for telehealth success.

Foster Key Skills

You can also develop the necessary skills for telehealth services. These include familiarity with digital communication technology, organizational and active listening skills, and an empathetic demeanor. 

Pursue Continued Training for a Telehealth Career

Telehealth provides a unique opportunity for nurses to work conveniently and serve a broader patient population. To cultivate some of the critical skills needed for remote nursing success, consider the continuing education coursework from NurseCE4Less. You can use our continuing education courses toward your state’s requirements for certification renewal or advancement. You can also explore courses in relevant subjects like nursing ethics to upskill in your current role.

Find out more about our nursing courses and subscriptions, and take the first steps toward providing telehealth services.

Recommended Readings

How to Advance Your Nursing Career: 6 Tips

Sources:

American Medical Association, What is Telehealth?

American Nurses Association, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)

ANA Nursing Resources Hub, “How to Become a Licensed Practical Nurse”

Becker’s Hospital Review, “The State of Telehealth in 2024: 3 Key Findings”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Telemedicine Use Among Adults: United States, 2021

Indeed, Ultimate Guide to a Career in Telehealth Nursing

Mayo Health, Telehealth

WebMD, What is Telemedicine?

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