Ageing population and advancement of healthcare technology affect patient care. Telemedicine and telenursing has emerged as new modalities for 21st century to improve healthcare effectiveness and efficacy. Telenursing is regarded as a new modality of nursing care over distance.1 It continues to grow as a valuable method for providing nursing care to patients, especially in their homes.2 Clinical applications of telenursing has been widely adopted in western countries under different settings. Nurses use their nursing knowledge and skills to assess, plan, initiate, educate and evaluate nursing interventions for their distant patients through electronic means. Telecare nurses collect and interpret information on the phone from callers (patient or caregivers), seeking advice.
The feasibility of telenursing using mobile phones in supporting psychoeducational needs of colorectal cancer caregivers in Hong Kong was first investigated in 2013.3 The effectiveness and efficacy were further evaluated by a randomized controlled trial in 2014. Telephone intervention was found to improve psychological wellbeing and quality of life in the intervention group. 4 Apart from these, benefits of telenursing on colorectal cancer patients receiving the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Program was investigated by a prospective four-week intervention study in four hospitals (QMH, UCH, CMC and QEH). A structured nurse telephone follow-up was given to ERAS patients after their discharge. Fifty patients with mean age of 67.94 (S.D. 11.1, 29-89) years were recruited. Telephone follow-up was found to be feasible with 147 out of 150 telephone calls (98.67%) successfully made. The mean duration of each telephone conversation was 10.03 (S.D.3.944; 3-20) minutes. Telephone call was well accepted by patients with 47 patients (94%) retained in the study. Patients reported different home care problems and nursing advice could be provided immediately. The mean scores for stress, anxiety and depression measured at baseline decreased over time after telephone intervention. Hence, telenursing was found to be both feasible and acceptable.
Telenursing is not going to replace bedside or patient-centered nursing. However, it will be expected to benefit the model of future health care delivery in terms of timely health care advice.
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