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TeleHealth: An Essential Tool For A New Generation Of Nurses

Technological competency has become one of the key components of nursing care and delivery. It aids in making the healthcare provider extremely efficient with the service they provide, and it also helps patients become more competent in managing their care thereby significantly improving health outcomes. Telehealth is of so much greater importance in the delivery of health services globally in recent years. This mode of health care delivery became particularly accelerated after the entrance of covid-19 on the world stage. The telehealth tool has become essential in reaching all populations, many in dire need of such services because they lack alternatives.

One of the positives from the Covid-19 pandemic is the more wide spread use of Artificial Intelligence software in the health industry, around the world. Telehealth systems have proven beneficial in reducing the pressure on health care professionals, while promoting social distancing measures in the fight against Covid-19. Additional benefits of using this new technology is that it does not require person to person interaction, which is an advantage for both the patient and provider in the reduction of transmissibility of infectious disease and viruses. Many patients enjoy the convenience of service, and that it is no longer absolutely necessary to visit their doctor's office simply to receive test results or for follow-up appointments, except when absolutely needed. This level of convenience makes it likely that telehealth is here to stay.

New innovations will make it much easier to offer health services to underserved and high risk populations, but the concern is for the delivery of such services. Challenges of technology access, digital illiteracy and unreliable internet services in some areas would make delivery of clinical services to patients difficult. Digital illiteracy for the most part significantly impacts seniors, which happens to be the population which would most benefit from telehealth services. Many struggle with mobility and are most likely to have multiple illnesses. On the provider end, there are challenges in providing more invasive testing and procedures. The 'nursing as caring model could potentially be negatively impacted because Artificial Intelligence (AI), can not substitute for hands on human interaction, which is a critical part of this model, and nursing in general.

=== It is imperative that healthcare providers becoming increasingly aware of the delicate dance between the caring, hands-on aspect of nursing that is always needed and critical to healthcare and patient trust and confidence, and the AI and telehealth systems which can significantly boost delivery, accuracy and accessibility of health care. Potential nurses must realize that nursing is a combination of Knowledge, skills and abilities to care for the sick. Knowledge serves as the foundation. Skills gives the Nurse the ability to efficient and effective in their role. Abilities ensures that care is provided at the appropriate time and in a way that minimizes risk to patient. It ensures that the patient leaves their care as a satisfied customer, encouraged to make life saving health decisions. Without these competencies nursing would fail to address the needs of the target audience, the patients. ===