867
Nurse Leader RespondentsFrom nurse managers to CNEs
363
Hospitals RepresentedCommunity, academic & specialty
204
Health SystemsDiverse systems across the U.S.
70%
Magnet® Designatedof participating hospitals
Survey Results
Key Findings at a Glance
40% are Implementing Virtual Care
40% of nurse leaders report their organization is implementing virtual care, with others piloting or investing in growth.
Strong Impact on Workload & Operations
Implementers report positive impacts on administrative workload, clinical workload, and hospital operations.
Biggest Impact Areas
Discharge education & planning, admissions & intake, and patient monitoring show the strongest positive impact.
Expectations vs. Reality
Non-implementers tend to overestimate the positives — especially around nurse recruitment.
Benefits Outweigh Costs
Nearly 75% of implementers agree that the benefits of virtual care outweigh the costs.
About the Survey
Survey Background
The survey focused on virtual care, gathering input from 867 AONL members, nurse leaders including nurse managers, directors, CNOs, and CNEs. Respondents represented 363 hospitals and 204 health systems across a range of organization types, including community, academic and specialty healthcare organizations.
867
Respondents
363
Hospitals
204
Health Systems
70%
Magnet® Desig.
Adoption Status
Virtual Care Adoption: Organizational Status
The majority of organizations are in the process of adopting or expanding virtual care.
17%
Contemplating
15%
Piloting
14%
Investing
40%
Implementing
15%
No investment at this time
Virtual Care Maturity Journey
Impact & Outcomes
Where Virtual Care Is Having the Most Positive Impact
Among organizations implementing virtual care
Areas of Impact
Implementers see less impact in some areas compared to organizations not yet implementing.
| Implementing Virtual Care (n=352) | Not Implementing Virtual Care (n=168) | |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse overtime | 24% | 26% |
| Recruitment of new nurses | 33% | 64% |
| Confidence in less experienced nurse teams | 55% | 62% |
| Turnover intention | 57% | 70% |
| Clinical workload | 63% | 71% |
| Hospital operations | 68% | 77% |
| Administrative workload | 67% | 78% |
Nursing Workforce
What This Means for the Nursing Workforce
Nurse Turnover
57% of implementers agree virtual care positively influences nurses' desire to remain in their roles.
Nurse Recruitment
Only 33% of implementers report a positive impact on recruitment, while 64% of non-implementers expect virtual care to help.
Less Experienced Nurses
More than half of implementers say virtual nurses increase confidence in teams with less experienced nurses.
Nurse Workload
Strongest positive impact reported in administrative workload, clinical workload, and hospital operations.
Member Voices
In Their Own Words
Examples of how virtual care is making a difference for nurse leaders and their teams.
“
Ambient listening reduces cognitive load on clinical nurses, allowing them to focus more fully on direct patient care and critical decision-making.
“
Remote patient monitoring has allowed our teams to identify early warning signs before they become critical, improving both patient outcomes and staff confidence.
“
Family and care team meetings conducted virtually have increased family engagement and streamlined communication across our multidisciplinary teams.
“
Telehealth and virtual care has extremely helped our patients living in rural areas and those with transportation issues access timely, quality care.