As telehealth grows, nursing students must build tech-savvy skills, like communication, digital documentation and HIPAA compliance. They should also embrace AI, telemonitoring and remote care to improve access, empathy and future career opportunities.
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Approved and verified accurate by the Associate Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions on July 28, 2025.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
When it comes to nursing, it’s vital to gain confidence and experience in telemedicine as its prevalence increases in clinical practice.2 Increasing your comprehension throughout your program can help you become more familiar with virtual interactions and prepare you to deliver compassionate, quality telemedical care properly.
Mathews suggested several ways to reduce students’ lack of confidence in the platform, technical issues and concerns about HIPAA prior to interacting with patients. Some include conducting a practice visit with a friend or coworker to check sound and lighting and having a nursing or tech contact on hand to assist with issues if needed.
There are specific skills that come along with working with patients via a digital platform. Some key skills nursing students should develop to support their telemedicine practice include:3
Mathews listed several ways to help nursing students gain these and other useful telehealth skills while they pursue their program, including:
The future of telehealth holds many opportunities. Telehealth services are forecasted to continue increasing access to care for those who are otherwise limited and offering even more capabilities of services virtually, such as RPM or quick help in critical care scenarios.5
Mathews believes that the future of telehealth for nurses could include the chance for “career opportunities to work from home/remote" and more “access to care for so many patients limited by mobility, full schedules, etc.” She further explains that she believes this could lead to better work-life balance for nurses and more access to convenient, quality care for patients.
Due to factors such as the continuous development of technology and events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth has become a standard in our healthcare system.1 Telehealth can take many forms, ranging from a simple virtual video checkup to remote patient monitoring (RPM).
At face value, telehealth holds many benefits for patients. According to Kristi Mathews, MSN and instructor in the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions at GCU, some include:
As telehealth develops and new technologies emerge, it’s important to consider how these trends affect not only the patient population but also patient-facing providers — specifically nurses. As a nursing student, it’s important to recognize these emerging telehealth future trends and prepare yourself for what you will likely encounter in the workforce.
As telemedicine continues to evolve, there are important emerging trends in telehealth for nursing students to consider as they expect to encounter them in the workforce. Staying informed can help build the skills and confidence needed to deliver high-quality care in both virtual and in-person settings.
Video consultations are one of the main ways providers can assist patients in the telehealth realm. This appointment format continues to trend and has become a staple in virtual nursing practice.2 It allows nurses to assess, educate and support patients remotely while maintaining a personal connection through face-to-face interaction.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are telehealth trends that are increasingly used to streamline workflows and assist nurses in telemedicine-related tasks.4 AI chatbots, for example, are one way for nurses to set up automated communication with patients while they also focusing on other duties. Both AI and ML can be used to collect patient data, aiding nurses during virtual assessments and intake.
Another important telemedicine trend for nursing students to consider is the ongoing discussion surrounding data privacy, HIPAA and security concerns. According to Mathews, students should “continue to ensure safety and HIPAA compliance” and “make sure the patient is in a safe area where they can talk openly.” As more patient data is transmitted online, concerns about data leaks and breaches continue to increase. Understanding how to gain and keep patient trust through strong data security practices is an essential part of ethical and professional virtual care.
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GCU is proud to incorporate relevant trends in nursing throughout our programs. For experienced nurses looking to venture into the mental health field, we offer an MSN: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Emphasis, which incorporates telehealth practices. “We have actually made a telehealth visit with a standardized patient as one of our final exams,” Mathews shares. “It gives learners a chance to practice and experience what it’s like to provide care via telehealth.”
Explore all our nursing options to find the one best suited for you and your career goals. Take the next step toward becoming a knowledgeable nurse, both in-person and virtually, at GCU.
