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There’s a staffing shortage problem in the health industry, which is expected to worsen in the next five years. This growing problem is associated with the increase in patient mortality, as well as hospital costs in recent years since the pandemic. Adding to this shortage issue is how long it takes for health practitioner licenses to be processed. NPR’s report on the delay of nursing licenses across the country opens with Courtney G.’s struggle for employment — the long wait for her nurse practitioner (NP) license almost costing her a job. This experience is shared by 1 in 10 NPs, who wait six months or more to receive their new licenses.
As states look into digitizing processes to speed things up, another digital transformation of the health industry comes from telemedicine, also known as virtual health care or telehealth. While the use of virtual medical care skyrocketed at the start of the pandemic, virtual care platforms have actually been used in the industry for more than a decade. These early implementations of telehealth have helped lower medical costs without overlooking employees’ health. As more healthcare practitioners look towards digital options, hopefully, a transition to a tele-driven health system can be achieved.
A couple of solutions to the health staff shortage? Telemedicine, featuring nurse practitioners. At this early stage of implementation, telemedicine offers patients with a more convenient and affordable way to seek healthcare and advice. Some companies have adopted a hybrid setup for nurses, with three days of on-site work at the hospital and two days as Tele nurse. With changing work patterns and policies being put into place, visits with remote nurse practitioners (NPs) may not be a common occurrence for most people yet, but it’s a viable alternative to help hospitals and clinics cope with current staffing shortages.
What is a remote nurse practitioner?
To further understand how nurse practitioners can help patients even remotely, it’s important that we learn what nurse practitioners are. Nurse practitioners are advanced practice nurses authorized to diagnose illnesses and conditions and prescribe medication and treatment without a doctor. On top of their qualifications, nurse practitioners provide patients with a more holistic approach to their healthcare, making patients feel more at ease. More recently, patients are beginning to prefer nurse practitioners over doctors, even when MDs are in-clinic. In the US especially, rural areas are under-served by general practitioners and specialist physicians, and nurse practitioners help to fill that void.
When it comes to remote nurse practitioners, the combination of a nurse practitioner’s expertise and digital technology has helped bridge the gap in healthcare accessibility. The flexibility that telehealth offers have allowed NPs to provide equitable services to patients in different settings. This is especially crucial in places like nursing homes or far-flung communities.
What are the benefits of working as a remote nurse practitioner?
Work-life balance
Like most other lines of work, nurse practitioners will have responsibilities outside of their work. Working in medicine, in particular, often means working odd or late hours and barely having the time for much else. Remote nurse practitioners can serve their patients even while at home or outside an office, so these professionals have a better work-life balance than most other health practitioners. This means they can still enjoy family time with loved ones, including holidays and weekends, while maintaining employment.
Pursue additional opportunities
With more control over time and scheduling, working remotely allows nurse practitioners to pursue other opportunities for a side income. In our post ‘Is It Too Late to Start a New Career?’, we stress that it’s never too late to look for a new job or find an alternative path in a relevant industry. With telehealth, remote NPs are free to pursue other endeavors that they may not have had the time for when they worked in person. An article on how to make extra money as a nurse practitioner by Wheel details how NPs can earn a bit on the side through freelance positions as a healthcare blogger, a health coach, a first-aid course instructor, medical transcriptionist, or a medical coder – to name a few. While traditional NP roles are in demand, there are plenty of lesser-known pursuits in the same field that can offer additional income while allowing you to upskill (or even improve existing skills) in the process.
Less exposure to on-site risks
For health practitioners, there is always a risk of exposing one’s self to illnesses and viruses on-site. This fear has intensified considerably with the COVID-19 outbreak, where health workers are at the frontlines, working despite fearing they could contract the virus — and consequentially infect loved ones at home. Such is the case for remote nurse Jenneh R., who left her 13 years of in-person work to start seeing patients from the safety of her home, for fear of exposure to the pandemic, on top of her chronic illnesses. Before finding work as a remote nurse, Jenneh considered other health-related remote alternatives, such as health-insurance companies and contact tracing. However, she saw a remote opportunity at a primary care practice called One Medical and became content with her ability to still help out with the pandemic without exposing herself to the dangers.
Less spending on commutes
Working from home allows remote nurse practitioners to save the money they would otherwise have to spend on daily commutes to their places of work. Not only does this save money; for some, it may also save the time they would otherwise have to spend getting ready in the morning to get to work on time. The same also applies to the patients who need tending to. Engaging with patients remotely allows nurse practitioners to do their jobs without requiring patients to travel to hospitals and clinics, allowing for a smooth medical “visit” that prioritizes everyone’s comforts.
Ultimately, as nurse practitioners, there is a focus on a holistic approach to medicine. They build deeper connections with patients, allowing for personalized treatment and care, even without general physicians or doctors. With the rise of remote opportunities for nurse practitioners, NPs are able to either collaborate with bigger medical teams under a company or have their own practice remotely. The flexibility and added sense of safety of working from home will allow NPs to still serve patients needing accessible and affordable healthcare.