AbstractHealthcare is being confronted with questions on how to deliver quality, affordable, and timely care to patients, especially those in rural areas, in systems already burdened by the lack of providers. Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) have been challenged to lead this movement in providing care to these populations through the use of technologies, specifically telehealth. Unfortunately, APRNs have limited exposure to telehealth during their educational experience, thereby limiting their understanding and comfort with telehealth. To address this problem, a telehealth program was developed at a large university that prepares Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) APRN students. The telehealth program, embedded into the DNP curriculum, consisted of a simulation workshop, practice immersion, and written project. This program was well received by students, making them aware of the benefits and barriers to the implementation of telehealth as a care delivery modality. Telehealth was embraced as students implemented the program in their own practices.

Background: In March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, universities halted in-person education and health care pivoted to telehealth delivery models. This article describes a nurse-led educational program that transitioned to fully online delivery to prepare interprofessional teams of health care students to use telehealth during the pandemic and beyond. Method: Participants included 67 students from seven professions. Researchers developed “the four Ps of telehealth” model to guide the curriculum. The program used pre- and postassessments including the Confidence in Planning for Telehealth Scale, the Telehealth Etiquette Knowledge Scale, and the Confidence in Providing Telehealth Scale. Results: There were significant improvements in scores on all scales following the program ( p = .000). Conclusion: The results suggest that comprehensive telehealth education should focus on more than just delivering telehealth but also planning and preparing for its delivery. Programs such as this online program can serve as a model for future telehealth programs to prepare providers. [ J Nurs Educ . 2020;59(10):570–576.]

Health care in the United States is facing a crisis in providing access to quality care for those in underserved and rural regions. Advanced practice nurses are at the forefront of addressing such issues, through modalities such as health care technology. Many nursing education programs are seeking strategies for better educating students on technology utilization. Health care technology includes electronic health records, telemedicine, and clinical decision support systems. However, little focus has been placed on the role of social media in health care. This paper describes an educational workshop using standardized patients and hands-on experiences to introduce advanced practice nurses in a Doctor of Nursing Practice program to the role of social media in addressing issues inherent in the delivery of rural health care. The students explore innovative approaches for utilizing social media for patient and caregiver support as well as identify online resources that assist providers in a rural setting.

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