What is Remote Nursing?

One of the best things about the nursing profession is its versatility. Nurses can work with people of all ages in a number of settings, from neonates in an intensive care unit to seniors living in a long-term care facility. The profession offers flexible schedules, too, as full-time, part-time, flexible, and per-diem opportunities are available.

Over the last few years, the rise of telehealth and telemedicine has opened the door to even more exciting opportunities. With remote medicine, nurses can put their skills to work from the comfort of their own homes. 

Interested in remote nursing? Check out HealthJob's Remote Job Board for RNs, NPs and LVNs

What is remote nursing?

Changes in health caretechnology have paved the way for remote nursing roles. Electronic medical records make it possible for providers to access patient information from anywhere instead of having to be in a specific doctor’s office to access a patient’s paper chart. Now, multiple health care providers can access patient information from anywhere, helping them provide streamlined, coordinated care. 

Telemedicine was already on the rise, but the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns, sheltering in place, and isolating that came along with it caused the popularity and implementation of telehealth services to surge. One study found that telemedicine encounters rose 766% in some patient populations in the first three months of the pandemic. This shift, combined with the ever-changing need for services beyond the hospital setting (particularly for patients who live in rural areas), led to a high demand for remote medical roles, many of which are filled by telehealth nurses.

Remote nursing is different from bedside nursing. Instead of administering medication and providing hands-on care, remote nurses often play a more behind-the-scenes role that helps to refine and improve the big picture.

10 Types of Remote Nursing Positions

There are many types of remote nursing positions. Some work directly with patients and their families, while others support hospitals or insurance companies. Each of these roles contributes to the quality of patient care in its own unqie way. Here are ten types of remote nursing jobs available.

Case Manager

A nurse case manager ensures that every member of their patient’s health care team is on the same page about their treatment care plans. Case management involves facilitating communication between care team members and interacting with and answering questions for families. Case managers ensure that all of the patient’s needs are met, including outpatient care appointments and home nursing.

Utilization Management

Utilization review nurses ensure patients receive the care they need without duplicate or unnecessary services. Their goal is to help maximize the quality of care and cost-effectiveness. This role involves reviewing patient records and communicating with the patient, family, and health care team about the most appropriate services for the patient’s situation.

HEDIS

Nurses in this role must be familiar with HEDIS or the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set. This performance improvement tool includes 90 measures across multiple domains (Effectiveness of Care, Experience of Care, Access to and Availability of Care, Health Plan Descriptive Information, Utilization and Risk Adjusted Utilization, and Measures Reported Using Electronic Clinical Data Systems).

Telephone Triage

A telephone triage nurse often works for doctor’s offices or clinics. They interview patients, complete patient histories and preliminary assessments, and report this information to the primary provider. Telephone triage nurses build patient relationships, collect detailed information, and determine how urgent the needs of the patient are.

Clinical Review and Auditing

Clinical reviews and audits help drive quality improvement in the health care setting. Nurses in this field seek ways to improve care, prevent poor care, and enhance the performance of the health care team by collecting data and evaluating current practices. When recommendations for improvements are implemented, they go back and repeat the audit to ensure that the implemented changes are leading to the desired outcome.

Clinical Documentation Improvement

A clinical documentation improvement nurse reviews medical records for accuracy and completeness. They review the patient’s disease process and diagnostic findings and then uncover what documentation might be missing. This role is an excellent option for nurses who also have experience with coding and billing.

Quality Improvement and Risk Management

Sometimes referred to as a compliance nurse, professionals in this role use data abstraction and analytics to ensure that all regulations and policies are being followed. Their primary role is to help ensure that patients receive appropriate, high-quality care and manage and prevent things that could go wrong. They may work for health care organizations or health insurance companies.

Clinical Informatics 

A health informatics nurse identifies, manages, and defines information, data, and knowledge. They integrate nursing with analytics to determine what is and what is not working. This role can be crucial in large hospitals, public health departments, and small community clinics or doctor’s offices.

Insurance Claims

Insurance claims nurses work for insurance companies, evaluating medical claims and offering their perspectives on the validity of those claims.

Legal Nurse Consultant

If you have years of experience in nursing and want to apply it in another way, consider legal nurse consulting as a career option. Nurses in this role work for law firms, helping attorneys understand the medical aspects of lawsuits. Most of this work can be done via phone or video chat.

Nurse Recruiter

Nurse recruiters are health care professionals who work for hospitals or agencies to find new nurses to work at the facility to maintain adequate and safe staffing levels. Some hospitals or agencies may have their own in-house recruiter, while others may outsource the role. Recruiters may reach out to nurses on employment sites or make phone calls to attract nurses to the employer. They may also act as a liaison between the new recruits and the employer.

Job Requirements for Remote Nurses

Remote nursing jobs offer unique opportunities to work in the nursing field from the comfort of home. There are a lot of exciting remote opportunities available, but there are some practical things to consider, too.

How does licensing work?

Licensing requirements may vary depending on the job. If the remote job you’re interested in is in a state where you are already licensed, your license should fulfill the requirements. If the job is in another state or requires a license for a specific state, you may need to apply for additional licensure to get the job. Some employers may accept a compact license; some will not. These requirements entirely depend on the role, the company, the location,  and the duties involved in the position. 

Licensing for nurse practitioners is more straightforward as there is no compact license, and you will need to get a license in every state you plan to practice. Don’t let this hold you back from applying for remote positions, though. Many employers will help you get the necessary licenses; some may even cover the fees.

Degree and experience requirements

Whether you’re a nurse practitioner, registered nurse, or licensed practical nurse, there is a remote nursing job for you. Nurse practitioners and registered nurses may have more abundant opportunities to choose from, but those with an LPN nursing degree can also find remote nurse work.

Part-time vs. Full-time

You will find a range of remote opportunities available, both part-time and full-time. Similar to in-person jobs, whether you get benefits like insurance or the opportunity to contribute to a 401K may depend on whether you’re working full-time or part-time. 

Bottom Line

Remote nursing offers unique opportunities for nurses looking for a way to step away from the bedside while contributing to the health care industry and maintaining a better work-life balance. But remote nursing is not for everyone. Like everything else, it has its pros and cons.

Is remote nursing for you? 

Remote nursing work offers a lot of flexibility, making it easier to work around childcare or other family-related responsibilities. It’s also an excellent option for a nurse who has a disability that prevents them from working a bedside job. There’s no commute, and you have a lot of independence. Remote nursing can be a good fit if you are self-motivated, organized, and comfortable with technology. 

On the other hand, there are many things about remote nursing work that some professionals may not like. You have limited interaction with patients and colleagues; some people may miss being at the bedside or working with a hands-on team. If you have difficulty staying on task and are uncomfortable with the technology, remote nurse work may not be for you.

Many nurses are burning out at the bedside and may not realize that there is another option. Remote nursing may take you away from the bedside, but these remote jobs help patients and their families behind the scenes in many ways.

If remote nursing sounds like the right role for you, start by thinking about what kind of work you want. For specific opportunities, check out the open listings on our job board.