Every innovation, both large and small, starts with a story and a problem. Today, we’re sharing the tale behind the creation of the Virtual Nursing Academy™ (VNA). The Virtual Nursing Academy™ was created with a human-centered design process based on the direct feedback of nearly 50 participants across our virtual nursing meetups and discussions with chief nursing officers.  We listened, learned, and laid the foundation to bridge the informational gap surrounding virtual nursing. We consistently hear that hospitals have explored virtual nursing as a new care delivery model to relieve workforce challenges and cost pressures. 

Inspired by this feedback and other observations, we created an intensive education program for nurse leaders and nurses building and managing virtual nursing programs. Our team curated a curriculum addressing the following pressing topics: making a business case, insourcing vs. outsourcing your virtual nursing program, the best use cases of virtual nursing, creating a staffing model, navigating the change management process, measuring the success of a virtual nursing program, governance structures, scalability, and identifying best practices.

The essence of VNA is rooted in the organizations that are working hard to transform care delivery. Their invaluable perspectives shaped not only the content but also the format of the academy. Guided by their preferences, we built the VNA to include monthly, real-time, virtual meetings reminiscent of a mastermind community approach. This has been shown to be valuable for mutual learning. And to support organizations in an even more robust way, the request for one-on-one coaching sessions to address specific, unique needs and challenges was critical. So, our academy includes the opportunity for 1:1 coaching as well. Another feature that came through our listening sessions was the inclusion of 9 CEs.

As the demand for training and knowledge sharing in virtual nursing continues to surge, the VNA will efficiently cater to the current market needs. We invite you to join us on this transformative journey as we continue to redefine the virtual nursing landscape through our Virtual Nursing Academy™. We are on a continuous learning journey along with you and are working hard to make this as good as it can be. Let’s create the future of healthcare together!