Reimagining Oncology Care Delivery: The Virtual RN Model in Acute Care

Hosted by the AONL-AHA Learning Community

Wednesday, July 1, 2026 at 11 AM CT

Reimagining Oncology Care Delivery: The Virtual RN Model in Acute Care

As demand for healthcare services continues to rise due to an aging population, increasing cancer complexity, and ongoing nursing shortages, reducing the burden on bedside oncology nurses has become increasingly critical. Oncology patients require intensive monitoring and rapid recognition of subtle clinical changes, as early intervention for complications such as sepsis, treatment toxicities, respiratory compromise, and symptom escalation can significantly impact outcomes and patient safety. In response, the nursing team at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center implemented a Virtual Registered Nurse (VRN) pilot program on an inpatient medical-surgical oncology unit, leveraging experienced oncology nurses to provide virtual admission support, patient education, clinical mentoring, and interdisciplinary collaboration through a telehealth platform. The VRN model created an additional layer of expert nursing surveillance and early monitoring while supporting frontline staff and improving workflow efficiency. Over the eight-week pilot, the program saved bedside nurses 113 hours and 44 minutes with no negative impact on patient experience.

Learning Outcomes:

• Evaluate the impact of a Virtual Registered Nurse (VRN) care model on oncology unit workflow, nurse workload, and patient safety outcomes to inform adoption of innovative staffing approaches.

About the Presenters

Patricia Spellman DNP, RN, CNML, Director of Critical Care Nursing Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Patricia Spellman DNP, RN, CNML, is the Director of Critical Care Nursing and brings over 30 years of oncology nursing experience across intensive care, medical-surgical, perianesthesia, and clinical trials. She leads critical care operations for oncology patients, advancing quality, safety, innovation, and performance improvement initiatives while supporting multidisciplinary teams. Patricia is dedicated to bringing innovative approaches into clinical practice, improving care delivery models, and using evidence-based strategies to enhance patient outcomes and operational efficiency.

Dr. MaryAnn Connor, PhD, RN, NI-BC, CPHIMS, FAMIA, FHIMSS, is the Chief Nursing Informatics Officer at Connexall and an adjunct faculty member at  New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing. With extensive experience in oncology, nursing informatics, digital transformation, and clinical operations, she previously served as Chief Nursing Informatics Officer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where she led enterprise-wide technology initiatives to enhance patient care, clinician experience, and operational efficiency. Dr. Connor is a nationally recognized nursing informatics leader, speaker, and author whose work focuses on intelligent interoperability, virtual care, clinical communication, alarm management, and leveraging technology to advance patient-centered care.

Debra Rodrigue, DNP, MEDSURG-BC, AOCNS, NE-BC, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Dr. Rodrigue is a dedicated nurse with 30 years of experience, having begun her career at Memorial Sloan Kettering 29 years ago as a staff nurse. Over the years, she has advanced through the clinical ladder, eventually becoming a Clinical Nurse Specialist before moving into a nurse leader role six years ago. Her entire career has been rooted in the specialized colorectal and gastric mixed tumor surgical unit, where she has devoted herself to exceptional patient care and team development.

You ‘Jay’ Chung Jr, MS, RN, NI-BC, CCRN-K, Associate Director, Nursing Informatics

You 'Jay' Chung Jr is an Associate Director of Nursing Informatics at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, leading initiatives that enhance clinical workflows and digital integration across nursing and multidisciplinary care teams. He specializes in advancing evidence-based practice through the use of technology across the EHR, medical devices, and mobile tools at the bedside. With a strong focus on innovation, he champions the use of AI and emerging technologies 

Juliana I. Hernandez MSN, RN, OCN, Clinical Informatics Specialist

Juliana I. Hernandez, MSN, RN, OCN, is a nursing leader with over 16 years of experience in oncology, critical care, ambulatory care, and clinical informatics. She has supported nursing practice transformation through technology-enabled care models, including virtual nursing, EHR optimization, workflow redesign, and quality improvement initiatives. Through her work across leading healthcare organizations, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Juliana has focused on improving nursing workflow, enhancing clinician experience, and advancing patient outcomes. 

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