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Advances in computer software have provided interactive tools that perform many of the duties once in the domain of the nursing profession. Sometimes referred to as 'virtual nursing avatars,' the duties delegated to this technology include facilitating check-ins for patients and coaching patients as they make lifestyle changes. Researchers continue to develop computer applications for virtual nurse avatars. As computers and smartphones take on tasks once in the domain of humans, the roles of nurses will evolve. The arc of this evolution will be determined by the limits of technology, evolving concepts of care, and changing population needs. In this article, the authors share examples of nursing avatar applications, discuss concerns about virtual nurse avatars, reinforce nursing as a caring profession, present avatars as caring agents, and consider the future of nursing avatars. They conclude that, although virtual nurse avatars can perform some nursing tasks in an acceptable manner, they are limited in their ability to make complex judgments and engage in collaboration.

In children with cerebral palsy (CP), poor trunk control can lead to spinal deformity, pulmonary compromise (Canet, Praud, & Bureau, 1998), and increased health risks and costs of long-term care (Braddock, 2002). Evidence links posture and pulmonary function, but the influence of wheelchair components on pulmonary function is unknown. This article reports on a study evaluating pulmonary measurement in wheelchairs and how it affected children with CP. The objectives of the study were to (a) describe recruitment and retention of school-aged children with CP and (b) discuss participants'response to the protocol. Using a wheelchair simulator, participants experienced five seating parameters while pulmonary mechanics measures were recorded. A process log captured participant recruitment and retention challenges and response to the protocol. Recruitment was challenging; retention was 50%. The protocol was feasible for 50% of participants, none of whom could participate in conventional pulmonary function testing. Among the study's participants, facemask and seating simulator acceptability were 75%, improving with participants'increased verbal communication abilities (verbal children tolerated the procedure best). The facemask was vulnerable to tilt; 75% of participants experienced fatigue.

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