Developing a strategy for studying critical thinking in a nurse telehealth setting: a participatory approach.

Telehealth nursing is a specialized area of nursing practice that has grown in response to the emergence of new technologies and consumer demand for health care services in the community. HealthLinkBC Nursing Services provides symptom triage and health education to residents of British Columbia and Yukon over the phone. Unlike traditional nursing care, telenurses are limited in terms of information they receive from callers. Therefore, there is a need for critical thinking skills to be developed. The purpose of this paper is to describe a participatory approach towards identifying: (1) the factors that affect telehealth nursing practice including critical thinking, and (2) developing a research strategy aimed at identifying the ways in which critical thinking can be supported in a telehealth nursing environment. A HealthLinkBC working group has begun work in developing a definition of critical thinking specific to nursing, identifying future research opportunities and methodologies.

Effects of Telenursing Triage and Advice on Healthcare Costs and Resource Use.

Telenursing triage and advice services are continuing to expand both nationally and internationally. A primary role of telehealth nursing triage is to channel patients or clients towards appropriate levels of care, thereby reducing healthcare costs and freeing up resources. PURPOSE: The objective of this research is to: (a) present an overview of the current research, (b) describe the extent to which telenursing services are fulfilling this role, (c) identify gaps in the literature and (d) propose future research directions. METHODS: The report consists of a scoping review of current literature based on the framework suggested by Arkseyand O'Malley (2005). RESULTS: Although the available research spans a variety of jurisdictions, which makes comparison difficult, there is some evidence that suggests telenursing services empower clients to access levels of care in keeping with the severity of their symptoms, as well as enabling clients to engage in self-care when appropriate. This in turn leads to cost savings for the broader health care system. CONCLUSION: More evaluation of telenursing programs is needed to identify consistent savings. Health outcomes should be a part of the research.