Evaluation of a Simulation Program for Providing Telenursing Training to Nursing Students: Cohort Study.

Background: Telenursing has become prevalent in providing care to diverse populations experiencing different health conditions both in Israel and globally. The nurse-patient relationship aims to improve the condition of individuals requiring health services.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate nursing graduates' skills and knowledge regarding remote nursing care prior to and following a simulation-based telenursing training program in an undergraduate nursing degree.

Methods: A cohort study assessed 114 third-year nursing students using comprehensive evaluation measures of knowledge, skills, attitudes, self-efficacy, and clinical skills regarding remote nursing care. Assessments were conducted at 2 critical time points: prior to and following a structured simulation-based training intervention.

Results: Participant demographics revealed a predominantly female sample (101/114, 88.6%), aged 20-50 years (mean 25.68, SD 4.59 years), with moderate to advanced computer and internet proficiency. Notably, 91.2% (104/114) had no telenursing exposure, yet 75.4% (86/114) expressed training interest. Statistical analyses demonstrated significant improvements across all measured variables, characterized by moderate to high effect sizes. Key findings included substantial increases in telenursing awareness, knowledge, skills, attitudes and self-efficacy; significant reduction in perceived barriers to remote care delivery; and complex interrelation dynamics between variables. A multivariate analysis revealed nuanced correlations: higher awareness and knowledge were consistently associated with more positive attitudes and increased self-efficacy. Positive attitudes correlated with enhanced self-efficacy and reduced perceived barriers. Change score analyses further indicated that increased awareness and knowledge facilitated more positive attitudinal shifts, while heightened awareness and positive attitudes corresponded with decreased implementation barriers.

Conclusions: The study underscores the critical importance of integrating targeted telenursing training into nursing education. By providing comprehensive preparation, educational programs can equip students to deliver optimal remote care services. The COVID-19 pandemic has definitively demonstrated that remote nursing will be central to future health care delivery, emphasizing the urgent need to prepare nursing students for this emerging health care paradigm.