Nursing contributions to virtual models of care in primary care: a scoping review protocol

Abstract

IntroductionSince the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual care has gained increased attention, particularly in primary care for the ongoing delivery of routine services. Nurses have had an increased presence in virtual care and have contributed meaningfully to the delivery of team-based care in primary care; however, their exact contributions in virtual models of primary care remain unclear. The Nursing Role Effectiveness Model, applied in a virtual care and primary care context, outlines the association between structural variables, nursing roles and patient outcomes. The aim of this scoping review is to identify and synthesise the international literature surrounding nurse contributions to virtual models of primary care.Methods and analysisThe Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methodology will guide this review. We performed preliminary searches in April 2022 and will use CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase and APA PsycInfo for the collection of sources for this review. We will also consider grey literature, such as dissertations/theses and organisational reports, for inclusion. Studies will include nurses across all designations (ie, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, practical nurses). To ensure studies capture roles, nurses should be actively involved in healthcare delivery. Sources require a virtual care and primary care context; studies involving the use of digital technology without patient–provider interaction will be excluded. Following a pilot test, trained reviewers will independently screen titles/abstracts for inclusion and extract relevant data. Data will be organised using the Nursing Role Effectiveness Model, outlining the virtual care and primary care context (structure component) and the nursing role concept (process component).Ethics and disseminationThis review will involve the collection and analysis of secondary sources that have been published and/or are publicly available. Therefore, ethics approval is not required. Scoping review findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at relevant conferences, targeting international primary care stakeholders.

Providing compassionate care in a virtual context: Qualitative exploration of Canadian primary care nurses’ experiences

“… 58 This is absolutely paradoxical given that compassion is a core tenant of nursing. 40 One potential explanation of this inconsistency might be that the contributions of primary care nurses in virtual models of primary care remains unclear, 59 precluding the ability to articulate underlying compassionate competencies. However, other compassion-related elements are named such as “patient-centered,” “respectful and supportive communication,” “professional relationship,” 57 and “interpersonal/soft skills.” 58 …”

Nursing practice and teleconsultations in a pandemic context: A mixed‐methods study

“…Currently, there is a need to build evidence, among all categories of health professionals, to demonstrate that the implementation of teleconsultations can bridge healthcare disparities and address access issues. Given the critical contributions of primary care nurses to primary care delivery (Doraiswamy et al, 2020), it is imperative to provide a clear understanding of their contributions to teleconsultation use and implementation in nursing practice (Vaughan et al, 2022). Exploring the use and implementation of teleconsultation modalities in nursing practice and the challenges to be overcome will help to better integrate teleconsultations into daily healthcare practice during and after the pandemic (Bashshur et al, 2020).…”

Embracing Paradigmatic Diversity in Nursing

“…51 Select nursing theories have been developed and/or applied through a pragmatic worldview; however, the theory I (C.V.) discuss aligns with my practice background (as a virtual public health nurse) and my research interests as I explore primary care nursing within a virtual care context. 52 The theory of Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing (TCCN) is a middle-range theory developed by Rozzano C. Locsin, 53 centered around the nurse-patient encounter and a triad of defining elements including technological knowing, mutual designing, and participative engaging. 53,54 Pragmatically, there is a single reality that technology has become a universal resource, increasingly so in health care.…”