Trinity Health connecting patients through virtual nursing program
LIVONIA, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - A new approach to healthcare is giving patients more one-on-one time with their bedside nurse.
Trinity Health's TogetherTeam Virtual Connected Care uses teamwork and technology so bedside nurses can focus on what matters most, being there in person for patients. The health system started the program at its Livonia hospital at the beginning of June.
A little human interaction can make all the difference to a patient's recovery in the hospital. Virtual registered nurses like Elizabeth Zupancic take care of the busy work so that those working closest to patients can spend more time doing just that.
"We're always doing safety checks, making sure the patient doesn't have any questions Making sure they have what they need. Making sure they're in a safe environment," Zupancic said.
With the press of a button, she can connect from the virtual nursing hub straight to the patient's screen, so the bedside nurse doesn't have to leave the room.
"Care plans, and communicating with the doctor and the family, but thankfully the virtual nurse handles a lot of that so we get to concentrate more on the patient aspect of things," said graduate bedside nurse intern Emily Abbott.
Abbott's second month on the job has already taught her some important lessons. She works with the virtual nurse, who can also serve as a mentor for those on the floor.
"I don't know everything yet as a new nurse and you don't know what to expect until you're in it, so having them there is definitely great to have," Abbott said.
Patient care technicians are the third member of the team providing additional hands on assistance for bedside nurses.
"They do all our vital signs, they answer the call lights, they get blood sugars, they draw labs, start IVs, and are really just that one-on-one partner with the bedside nurse to care for the patient throughout the day," said Trinity Health Livonia chief nursing officer Nickolas Nickolopoulos.
Most importantly, patients and their families are noticing the difference.
"I like that they get the whole picture. They know what it's like to be in the rooms, at the patient's bedside so they know what to look for. Their admission process, the questions that they asked were exactly what they would have been at the bedside. It was really thorough. I liked it," said one patient's daughter, Melinda Huwer.