Despite the healthcare industry facing national staff shortages, Trinity Health’s Muskegon branch is assigning three caregivers to each patient.
The move is part of its Together Team Virtual Connected Care model, which features a direct care Registered Nurse, an onsite RN partner and a virtual Registered Nurse, working together to support patients and each other as they navigate care capacity.
“I took this position helping the nurses get at the bedside a little bit more and lighten the load a little bit.”
Judy Devaney is a virtual nurse with Trinity Health, boasting 26 years in the industry. She’s using her skills to handle tasks remotely like answering patient questions, updating medical records, contacting family members and even performing examinations -- taking the weight off of in-person nurses and offering faster care response to patients.
“The patients they can just push a button and get me on their tv screen their rooms…I had one patient who was in isolation, and was very lonely. I was able to round on her more often, and by the end of the day she just loved it. She felt like she had someone there with her.”
Trinity Health says the new model has potential to increase career pathways for nurses, provide more personalized care and increase staff collaboration. It’s successfully implemented the model on 50 units across Michigan, including its Grand Rapids location.
