[hen-ui-dynamic-experience placement=”aboveTheFold” /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Telehealth Nurse Career in Brief[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″][hen-ui-link href=”/resources//nurses-guide-to-telenursing/”]Telenursing[/hen-ui-link] jobs may include monitoring patient health remotely or providing care for patients during video, phone, and chat visits. Telehealth nurses work under the supervision of physicians or [hen-ui-link href=”/nurse-practitioner/”]nurse practitioners[/hen-ui-link] and may oversee nursing assistants.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-dynamic-experience placement=”belowTheFold” /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Where Do Telehealth Nurses Work?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Telehealth nurses generally work from hospitals, physician practices, or other healthcare sites, though a growing number work from home, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Technology enables telehealth nurses to provide care for patients in rural locations, recovering at home, or who otherwise need care but could be treated at home depending on symptoms.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]Virtual Visits[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Usually conducted over video, virtual visits with a telehealth nurse might involve telephone calls or live chat. They may be either follow ups to on-site visits or a preliminary step to see if an in-person visit is necessary.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]Chat-Based Interactions[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Patients and nurses can use chat technology for both synchronous and asynchronous communications, including sending health information to telehealth nurses and other healthcare professionals.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]Remote Patient Monitoring[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Remote patient monitoring allows telehealth nurses and other clinicians to obtain data about a patient’s condition through sensors, monitors, or other healthcare apps.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Effects of COVID-19 on Telehealth Services[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Additionally, many states have expanded or temporarily suspended laws that govern telehealth to allow for easier access and delivery of care. For example, providers licensed only in North Carolina can treat patients in South Carolina and [hen-ui-link href=”/state/georgia//”]Georgia[/hen-ui-link].[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″][hen-ui-text tag=”strong” weight=”bold”]Benefits[/hen-ui-text]: Telehealth expands access to care, reduces nurses’ exposure to disease and need for personal protective equipment (PPE), and allows more patients to be taken care of by one healthcare facility, compared to in-person services. These benefits serve the healthcare community greatly during a pandemic and can continue to serve communities after the pandemic.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″][hen-ui-text tag=”strong” weight=”bold”]Downsides[/hen-ui-text]: Data security becomes a concern as more services transition online and ransomware attacks target hospitals and health systems. In addition, not all insurance carriers cover all telehealth nursing services or they might cover different rates from in-person visits. Online communication can also pose difficulties for telehealth nurses, especially on low bandwidth connections.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Some challenges to telehealth include limited practice such as not being able to swab for strep throat or directly listen to cardiac sounds using a stethoscope.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Why Become a Telehealth Nurse?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″ style=”text-align:center;”]How To Become a Telehealth Nurse[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Learn more about how to [hen-ui-link href=”/careers/telehealth-nurse/how-to-become/”]become a telehealth nurse[/hen-ui-link].[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]How Much Do Telehealth Nurses Make?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″][hen-ui-link href=”/careers/telehealth-nurse/”]Telehealth nursing jobs offer generous compensation[/hen-ui-link], above the United States average for all jobs. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), registered nurses (RNs) make a median annual wage of $73,300. In 2019, the highest paid 10% of RNs earned more than $111,200.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Primarily due to the growing need for healthcare for the aging population, jobs for RNs are projected to grow faster than average, with a BLS projected increase of 6% between 2021 and 2031. Telenursing jobs will likely make up a significant proportion of this growth; technology makes it easier to provide necessary ongoing monitoring, such as for blood pressure levels, and to provide care for patients with mobility issues that make it difficult for them to visit a care site.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-article-card title=”Find State-Specific Salary Data Here” href=”/registered-nursing/” size=”compact” border=”stroke”][/hen-ui-article-card][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Frequently Asked Questions[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]What is the difference between telehealth and telemedicine?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Telemedicine, the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions from a remote location, is one part of telehealth. However, only physicians and nurse practitioners can perform telemedicine (diagnosis and treatment). Nurses are authorized to perform telehealth which includes education, monitoring, and triage from a remote location.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]Can a nurse perform telemedicine?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]No, nurses are not authorized to diagnose and treat medical conditions. Nurses can provide a variety of services through telehealth, including patient education, triage, and obtaining information about a patient’s symptoms and conditions to pass to a nurse practitioner or physician. However, unlike nurse practitioners and physicians, they are not licensed to provide telemedicine.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]How is telehealth practiced?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Telehealth is any kind of healthcare provided outside the home, supported by some kind of electronic communication. It includes telephone visits with telehealth nurses as well as newer forms like remote monitoring, video visits, and online chats.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]How can an RN make money from home?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]RNs can work from home in telenursing jobs such as triage and case management, as well as jobs that do not involve direct care for patients such as informatics, insurance claim adjustments, legal nursing consulting, and freelance writing. Some of these home-based jobs for nurses require additional or specialized education or training.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Professional Organizations for Telehealth Nurse[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-list variant=”unordered” bullet-style=”check”] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″][hen-ui-link href=”https://www.americantelemed.org/membership/” target=”_blank”] American Telemedicine Association[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-heading] The American Telemedicine Association engages in advocacy for telemedicine in healthcare policy; monitors technical and clinical updates; conducts benchmarking; and supplies information to its members. Membership is open to organizations involved in telemedicine, such as healthcare providers, health plans, technology organizations, and alliances.[/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″][hen-ui-link href=”https://www.isfteh.org/” target=”_blank”] International Society for Telemedicine & eHealth[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-heading] The International Society for Telemedicine & eHealths mission is to promote best telemedicine practices and foster international dissemination of knowledge. It acts primarily as an umbrella organization for national societies of telemedicine and works with the World Health Organization and International Telecommunication Union. Membership is open to organizations and individuals.[/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″][hen-ui-link href=”https://www.aaacn.org/practice-resources/telehealth” target=”_blank”] American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-heading] AAACN provides resources for RNs in any ambulatory care setting, including telehealth nurses. It offers ambulatory nursing certification, professional development and continuing education, and publications. Full membership is open to RNs, and AAACN also offers affiliate or student nonvoting memberships.[/hen-ui-list-item][/hen-ui-list][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Related Pages[/hen-ui-heading] [hen-ui-article-row variant=”slider” ids=”43948,34303,34420,34153″][/hen-ui-article-row][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]Reviewed by:[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-flex direction=”column” gap=”lg”][hen-ui-expert-bio name=”Elizabeth Clarke, FNP, MSN, RN, MSSW” img-src=”https://res.cloudinary.com/highereducation/image/upload/v1/NurseJournal.org/Elizabeth.jpg?_a=BAMCcSOY0″ img-alt=”Elizabeth Clarke, FNP, MSN, RN, MSSW” layout=”horizontal” background=”white” /][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ slot=”contentRight”]Elizabeth Clarke (Poon) is a board-certified [hen-ui-link href=”/nurse-practitioner/fnp/”]family nurse practitioner[/hen-ui-link] who provides primary and urgent care to pediatric populations. She earned a BSN and MSN from the University of Miami.[/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ slot=”contentRight”]Clarke is a paid member of our Healthcare Review Partner Network. [hen-ui-link href=”/healthcare-review-partners//”]Learn more about our review partners[/hen-ui-link].[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-flex]