Telehealth in Mental Health Advanced Practice Nursing

The development and expansion of healthcare is greatly aided by technological advancements. These technologies make the healthcare industry more dependable and efficient by enabling off-site patient care delivery (Garber et al., 2023). Specifically, one of the biggest developments in the digital healthcare system is telehealth. Also known as telemedicine, telehealth involves the utilization of digital communication technologies to deliver healthcare services remotely. The importance of this system is that enables healthcare professionals to connect with patients for diagnosis, treatment, consultation, and monitoring without the need for in-person visits. Telehealth has also revolutionized care delivery by ensuring services are accessible for those in rural and underserved areas (Charalambous et al., 2024). There is supportive evidence for the role of telehealth in reducing the cost of healthcare delivery and enhancing continuity of care. The benefits of this technology make it a valuable tool in many branches of the healthcare industry, such as intensive care units, outpatient offices, inpatient units, and pharmacies.

The intersection of telehealth and patient care has become increasingly vital, especially in the area of mental health. Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) specializing in mental health are at the forefront of this transformation, utilizing telehealth as a powerful tool to bridge the gap between patients and essential services. Advanced practice nurses can use telehealth to influence patient outcomes when delivering mental health services (Charalambous et al., 2024). For example, the technology can be used to manage medications for patients through medication reviews on online platforms. Crisis intervention, case management control, and providing support to patients are other aspects that telehealth can benefit patients.

The purpose of this paper is to critique and appraise the literature related to telehealth utilization in mental health nursing practice. The paper will analyze the collaborative role of advanced practice nurses and interprofessional healthcare teams in telehealth.

Advanced Nursing Practice Role Impact

As the use of digital health continues to grow, advanced practice nurses have become vital to the utilization of this technology. These individuals have high-level skills and expertise that can create a supportive telehealth environment for patients and families. With the constant adoption of new technologies, nurse practitioners have been positioned to evaluate health-related information using digital technologies and make evidence-based decisions (Garber et al., 2023). During their education, advanced practice nurses are required to meet specific competencies related to telehealth. For example, the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) requires nurse practitioners to demonstrate technology and information literacy upon completion of the program (Chan et al., 2020). The advanced nurse practitioner must integrate appropriate technologies, translate scientific health information, and make decisions using gathered information. In addition, the nurse is required to use technology systems to capture data on variables for the evaluation of nursing care.

The prerequisite to good health outcomes today is an experienced caliber of healthcare professionals who can deliver high-quality care. As a Master’s nursing student, I believe the role of APNs is invaluable. The education and experience gathered during this program set the nurse to provide timely and efficient care that is almost equivalent to that of physicians (Wheeler et al., 2022). The core functions of APNs are defined by the American Nurses Association. According to ANA, APRN roles include nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives. The core functions of these nurses include diagnosis of illness, treatment of patients, managing chronic diseases, engaging in continuous education, heading technological methodologies, and advising on public health issues (Wheeler et al., 2022). Focusing on the area of disease prevention, APRNs utilize their knowledge and skills in nursing to provide holistic plans of care to patients and families.

The role of Master’s prepared nurses connects to the topic of telehealth in many ways. Firstly, APNs possess specialized knowledge and clinical expertise in mental health assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. Through telehealth platforms, APNs can conduct comprehensive mental health assessments, formulate differential diagnoses, and develop individualized treatment plans for patients (Frey & Chiu, 2021). For example, mental health nurse practitioners utilize electronic health records (EHRs) to document patient data and use it to make informed decisions. The nurses can also use telehealth systems to monitor the progress of patients even when they are not within the hospital setting. Patient-centered care is another way that the role of APNs connects with the utilization of telehealth (Garber et al., 2023). In telehealth settings, APNs use informatics to facilitate communication, engagement, and collaboration with patients and their families. For example, services like video conferencing can be used by mental health nurse practitioners to plan care for patients and deliver psychoeducation.

Master’s prepared nurses are proficient in utilizing informatics tools and technologies to enhance healthcare delivery and improve patient outcomes. Using the knowledge, skills, and expertise, nurse practitioners can influence the informatics process. Firstly, Master’s prepared nurses can advocate for the adoption of telehealth technologies across healthcare organizations (Rutledge & Gustin, 2021). Drawing their understanding of clinical workflows and the complexity of mental health service delivery, the nurses can articulate the benefits of these systems to relevant stakeholders. Apart from advocacy, the nurses can participate in the designing of clinical workflows to ensure effective utilization of the technology. For example, the APN can collaborate with informatics specialists to design systems that align with clinical workflows.

APNs can influence the informatics process through quality improvement and research. The nurse can lead quality improvement initiatives and research projects that leverage informatics data to drive innovation and improve patient care. The use of an interdisciplinary approach can help identify opportunities for research and data analysis (Rutledge & Gustin, 2021). For example, the mental health nurse practitioner can collaborate with information technology teams to identify the best technologies that can promote the engagement of mental health patients. Education and training are other crucial roles that Master’s prepared nurses can assume to promote the adoption of telehealth. PNs can serve as educators and mentors, helping to prepare the next generation of nurses and healthcare professionals to navigate the evolving landscape of informatics.

Introduction to Advanced Diagnostics Tanner Bailey

Interprofessional Colleagues

APNs, with their advanced education and clinical expertise, play a pivotal role in fostering interprofessional collaboration to optimize patient outcomes. These nurses can engage with other colleagues, contributing their unique knowledge and skills to develop and implement comprehensive care plans that address the diverse needs of patients. During this approach, APNs communicate openly and use the shared decision-making approach to make meaningful decisions about their patients (Chenault, 2023). The two interprofessional colleagues that mental health nurse practitioners can engage with include informatics specialists and health information technologists. These individuals have expertise in the area of telehealth and they can work to improve the care delivery for mental health patients.

Informatics Specialist: Health informatics is a field within information technology that leverages patient records and related data to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes. An informatics specialist is involved in the implementation of technology and assessing the current state of technology in the healthcare setting (Yogesh & Karthikeyan, 2022). The individual may be charged with installing technologies, researching technology computations, assessing performance, and educating other staff. A mental health nurse practitioner can collaborate with this member to evaluate the effectiveness of remote technologies and identify new systems that can help in improving patient outcomes.

Information technologist: Health information technologists play a crucial role in telehealth by managing electronic health records (EHRs), telehealth platforms, and other digital health technologies. Collaboration with health information technologists ensures that telehealth systems are user-friendly, secure, and compliant with regulatory standards, promoting efficient and effective care delivery (Chenault, 2023). The information technology team can also help the nurse in addressing any technical difficulties that arise with technology systems. By collaborating with these interprofessional colleagues in telehealth settings, APNs can provide holistic, patient-centered care that addresses the diverse needs of patients across the healthcare continuum.

Conclusion

The role of Advanced Practice Nurses in telehealth is multifaceted and critically important in delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. These nurses have expertise, knowledge, and skills that can be used to improve the utilization of telehealth. Master’s prepared nurses are tasked with using information technologies to analyze data and use the information to plan for care delivery to patients. In addition, the nurses can use their expertise in telehealth to educate other nurses and healthcare teams. Interprofessional collaboration is an approach that can be used by APNs to improve the utilization of telehealth services. The two key interprofessional members identified who can collaborate with the APNs include the informatics specialists and health information technology (IT) specialists. These members can help APNs design systems that meet the unique needs of patients and also address any technical difficulties during service delivery.

References

Chan, T. E., Lockhart, J. S., Thomas, A., Kronk, R., & Schreiber, J. B. (2020). An integrative review of nurse practitioner practice and its relationship to the core competencies. Journal of Professional Nursing, 36(4), 189-199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2019.11.003

Charalambous, J., Hollingdrake, O., & Currie, J. (2024). Nurse practitioner led telehealth services: A scoping review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 33(3), 839-858. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16898

Chenault C. (2023). Implementing and collaborating with advanced practice nurses in the hospital setting. Soins; La revue de reference infirmiere, 68(876), 45–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soin.2023.05.012

Frey, M. B., & Chiu, S. H. (2021). Considerations when using telemedicine as the advanced practice registered nurse. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners : JNP, 17(3), 289–292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2020.11.011

Garber, K., Chike-Harris, K., Vetter, M. J., Kobeissi, M., Heidesch, T., Arends, R., Teall, A. M., & Rutledge, C. (2023). Telehealth policy and the advanced practice nurse. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners : JNP, 19(7), 104655. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2023.104655

Rutledge, C. M., & Gustin, T. (2021). Preparing nurses for roles in telehealth: Now is the time!. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 26(1). https://doi.org/10.3912/OJIN.Vol26No01Man03

Wheeler, K. J., Miller, M., Pulcini, J., Gray, D., Ladd, E., & Rayens, M. K. (2022). Advanced practice nursing roles, regulation, education, and practice: A global study. Annals of Global Health, 88(1), 42. https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.3698

Yogesh, M. J., & Karthikeyan, J. (2022). Health informatics: Engaging modern healthcare units: A brief overview. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 854688. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.854688