Former Health Department Chief Martin Bowles has reportedly proposed 'virtual nurses' could help address the shortage of nurses in aged care.

This might involve remote, possibly artificial intelligence-assisted, virtual care, rather than physical nurse presence, to assist nursing homes to meet new legislative requirements to have a registered nurse present 24/7.

Are virtual nurses the way of the future? Image Source: Shutterstock​

There are clear opportunities for technological innovations to improve the care, health, and well-being of older people. However, the substitution of face-to-face nursing and human interaction with remote care is not the answer.

This seriously risks perpetuating the status quo where many older people suffer from isolation, neglect and lack of human engagement.

Eroding requirements to properly staff nursing homes with registered nurses could make it even harder to attract and keep staff.

What are ‘virtual nurses’?​

'Robot nurses' already exist in some contexts, helping to move patients, take vital signs (such as blood pressure), carry medicines and laundry, and even engage with patients.

However, 'virtual nursing' likely refers to more familiar technology where a real nurse provides a limited range of care via telehealth (by phone and/or video).

While some might appreciate when robots can assist with certain tasks, much of what nurses do cannot and should not be performed remotely (or by robots).

Indeed, older people, their loved ones, and staff are calling out for more physically present staff and more time to care and interact, not virtual interfaces and remote consultations.

The benefits of technology in health care are unquestionable and many innovations have improved care for older people. Artificial intelligence shows promise in helping prevent and detect falls, and socially assistive robots such as PARO (a baby harp seal), have been shown to reduce stress, anxiety and antipsychotic use in people with dementia.

Technology should not, however, be introduced at the expense of care quality or supporting and sustaining a suitably sized and skilled aged care workforce. We still need to adequately staff nursing homes to provide safe, dignified care.

We need adequate staffing​

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety heard a vast quantity of evidence regarding insufficient staffing, particularly of nurses who have the education and skills to deliver high-quality clinical and personal care.

This expertise is why nurses cannot be replaced with remote care, and why the Commission recommended 24/7 registered nurse presence; this has now been legislated.

More than half of Australian aged care residents live in nursing homes with unacceptably low levels of staffing and around 20%do not have a registered nurse onsite overnight.

Insufficient staffing results in workers not having time to interact with residents meaningfully and compassionately and also contributes to avoidable hospitalisations, worse quality care and outcomes, and poor working conditions for staff.

As social beings, human interaction is fundamental to health, well-being, and best practice care. This is particularly true for older people in nursing homes who are less able to engage with others and is especially vital for those living with mobility challenges and dementia.

Partly due to low nurse staffing levels, loneliness, isolation and mental ill health are widespread in aged care and have become more common due to pandemic-related restrictions on visitors and staff.

Care experiences are shaped by human interaction and contact; the touch of a hand, a smile, eye contact, and being able to take the time to genuinely listen.

These actions are central to how nurses and other staff build effective and meaningful relationships with residents.

Seeking to replace human contact with virtual interfaces seems both inconsistent with the Royal Commission’s findings and possibly cruel.

Personal interactions also help staff, as the Royal Commission highlighted:

Rather than circumventing reforms to ensure more nurses provide face-to-face care in nursing homes, we need to address the range of challenges contributing to widespread and tenacious workforce shortages.

There are clear challenges for growing and retaining a sufficiently sized and skilled aged care workforce. However, government reforms, such as better pay, mandated care time, and greater accountability and transparency regarding the use of funds all work together to make aged care a feasible and attractive sector to work in.

This is one where staff are supported to provide the high quality and safe aged care all Australians deserve and where older people receive best practice, human care.


This article was first published on The Conversation, and was written by Micah DJ Peters, Senior Research Fellow / Director - Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) National Policy Research Unit (Federal Office), University of South Australia

 

[Suzanne rose]

Only answer ....train more nurses !!!!!!

Virtual consultation is not a good answer.

People can't be diagnosed over the phone.

The only positive thing is it will weed out the unnecessary visits.

My daughter is a nurse and seriously over worked.

Nurses are doing doctors work

We need more nurses and Doctor's

 

[KGP]

My Masters level research shows that rural towns in Victoria and NSW (and, presumably, across Australia) are in grave danger of losing vital human services because of unavailability of staff.

Broadly speaking, we need about 5,000 more doctors, about 80,000 new nurses, about 10,000 early childhood teachers, about 60,000 more direct care workers for disability care and about 45,000 for aged care, etc. etc. We just don't have that many people we can train and we don't have the facilities to train them anyway. Nurses, for example, like doctors, have to do practical placements in hospitals under the supervision of fully registered nurses. We can't train as many people as want to be nurses because we don't have enough placements for them.

It's a major problem because different services are competing with one another for critical staff.

Nor can we simply bring people in from overseas since we are now competing with every other advanced economy in the world, quite apart from ethical issues of letting poor countries train people who we then poach.

The Australian Labor Party went to the 2019 election with a high tax, high service policy and Australians voted against it. People can't really complain that we now don't have either the money or the trained people or the services we need.

 

[Ezzy]

Former Health Department Chief Martin Bowles has reportedly proposed 'virtual nurses' could help address the shortage of nurses in aged care.

This might involve remote, possibly artificial intelligence-assisted, virtual care, rather than physical nurse presence, to assist nursing homes to meet new legislative requirements to have a registered nurse present 24/7.

View attachment 5930
Are virtual nurses the way of the future? Image Source: Shutterstock​

There are clear opportunities for technological innovations to improve the care, health, and well-being of older people. However, the substitution of face-to-face nursing and human interaction with remote care is not the answer.

This seriously risks perpetuating the status quo where many older people suffer from isolation, neglect and lack of human engagement.

Eroding requirements to properly staff nursing homes with registered nurses could make it even harder to attract and keep staff.

What are ‘virtual nurses’?​

'Robot nurses' already exist in some contexts, helping to move patients, take vital signs (such as blood pressure), carry medicines and laundry, and even engage with patients.

However, 'virtual nursing' likely refers to more familiar technology where a real nurse provides a limited range of care via telehealth (by phone and/or video).

While some might appreciate when robots can assist with certain tasks, much of what nurses do cannot and should not be performed remotely (or by robots).

Indeed, older people, their loved ones, and staff are calling out for more physically present staff and more time to care and interact, not virtual interfaces and remote consultations.

The benefits of technology in health care are unquestionable and many innovations have improved care for older people. Artificial intelligence shows promise in helping prevent and detect falls, and socially assistive robots such as PARO (a baby harp seal), have been shown to reduce stress, anxiety and antipsychotic use in people with dementia.

Technology should not, however, be introduced at the expense of care quality or supporting and sustaining a suitably sized and skilled aged care workforce. We still need to adequately staff nursing homes to provide safe, dignified care.

We need adequate staffing​

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety heard a vast quantity of evidence regarding insufficient staffing, particularly of nurses who have the education and skills to deliver high-quality clinical and personal care.

This expertise is why nurses cannot be replaced with remote care, and why the Commission recommended 24/7 registered nurse presence; this has now been legislated.

More than half of Australian aged care residents live in nursing homes with unacceptably low levels of staffing and around 20%do not have a registered nurse onsite overnight.

Insufficient staffing results in workers not having time to interact with residents meaningfully and compassionately and also contributes to avoidable hospitalisations, worse quality care and outcomes, and poor working conditions for staff.

As social beings, human interaction is fundamental to health, well-being, and best practice care. This is particularly true for older people in nursing homes who are less able to engage with others and is especially vital for those living with mobility challenges and dementia.

Partly due to low nurse staffing levels, loneliness, isolation and mental ill health are widespread in aged care and have become more common due to pandemic-related restrictions on visitors and staff.

Care experiences are shaped by human interaction and contact; the touch of a hand, a smile, eye contact, and being able to take the time to genuinely listen.

These actions are central to how nurses and other staff build effective and meaningful relationships with residents.

Seeking to replace human contact with virtual interfaces seems both inconsistent with the Royal Commission’s findings and possibly cruel.

Personal interactions also help staff, as the Royal Commission highlighted:

Rather than circumventing reforms to ensure more nurses provide face-to-face care in nursing homes, we need to address the range of challenges contributing to widespread and tenacious workforce shortages.

There are clear challenges for growing and retaining a sufficiently sized and skilled aged care workforce. However, government reforms, such as better pay, mandated care time, and greater accountability and transparency regarding the use of funds all work together to make aged care a feasible and attractive sector to work in.

This is one where staff are supported to provide the high quality and safe aged care all Australians deserve and where older people receive best practice, human care.


This article was first published on The Conversation, and was written by Micah DJ Peters, Senior Research Fellow / Director - Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) National Policy Research Unit (Federal Office), University of South Australia

We need more trained staff in Nursing Homes but I believe they also need to have a good grasp of the English language. This was a major complaint my friend had when he was in one & which l experienced myself first hand. Trying to make himself understood caused much frustration to him.

Not sure whether a staff shortage or laziness was the reason, but on one visit to my friend l had a need to point out to one of these staff members that the sheets needed changing because my friend's 'night-time wet wear' had leaked & these were wet. Without asking me where this was he immediately threw the blankets & then the sheets back & placed his hand on the area without any direction from me. This matter was raised by me in a communication to Management. I cannot be sure if this action achieved anything, but l hope so.

 

[steffizinc]

If you are talking about robots that will help people instead of real people, I think it may be possible, but it requires the next level of IT intelligence, which is impossible in the future. Now exist, some software helps older adults/. For example, some applications help visually impaired customers find the important things around their house, and others help people with hearing problems. Still, for the most part, some difficult interactions require the help of a professional medicine worker with the proper medical education like this one https://www.becomeopedia.com/.

 

[Ezzy]

If you are talking about robots that will help people instead of real people, I think it may be possible, but it requires the next level of IT intelligence, which is impossible in the future.

Whether it is a Nursing Home, Hospital or any other facility involving the care of people we know that nothing beats a human touch & human contact.

Many years ago our training group was told of a prison in America in which prisoners had no contact at all with prison staff. Every cell door, gate etc. was operated by someone in a room with cameras & a bank of switches. This prison had to be closed because the prisoners were suffering from mental problems due to the lack of human contact.