What do you think of video nurse patient monitoring?

HappyNurse2005, RN · Aug 2, 2005

SO there is a camera in the room, and if the nurse gets into trouble, she can someone notify someone who can watch her do it on the camera and tell her what to do?

Why can't another nurse there help her?

Sounds interesting....

We have 2 rooms for pt's with vents, and they each have a camera in them, and are right by the nurses station, with the camera monitor at the nurses station. That is the only camera action we have going on!

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Aug 3, 2005

It's called a virtual ICU and it's a coming thing for some smaller units to give them access to more help.

The one I read about: the camera points down and has a red light, it sounds a warning when it's activated to let the nurse know the patient is going to be monitored by camera.

Off site nurses and docs track the telemetry data and can 'intervene' if they see problems: by intervene, they can recommend that you take actions.

It could be a boon for a small ICU without a bunch of veteran staff, but I'd only consent to work if the camera was off and pointed down except for short periods where the offsite wants to physically see the patients and when I, as the bedside nurse, was warned in advance of it's activation.

But if you're interested, look up 'virtual ICU' on your search engine.

~faith,

Timothy.

NannaNurse · Aug 3, 2005

I do NOT like this idea, nor would I allow myself to be videographed without my permission. I have just as many rights as the patients I am caring for.

If they can 'staff' for the 'video jockies'.....why can't they just put them on the floor to work?? Hummmmmmmm?????

LoraLou · Aug 3, 2005

my unit has had the eicu for about 5-6 months. There are some things that are nice and some that don't work quite so well. I will say that when we've had an intern on with no resident back up it was nice to have them for back up orders. The nurses only camera into the room maybe a couple of times a day, usually once a shift at most unless there are problems in the room. The doc typically doesn't camera in unless there's a problem in the room. These nurses are typically watching 20-30 patients so they don't really just camera in all the time, i've had some patients that i've taken care of that i've never seen them camera in on nights at least. They ring a doorbell as the camera comes on if someone in the room. They are not watching constantly, and if you're giving a bath or something you can put up a privacy notice and they won't camera in until its off.

The Gunslinger · Aug 3, 2005

I don't know about small ICU's since this was a 30 bed CTICU, Level 1 trauma hospital in a city of one million plus. The person I spoke with indicated that every ICU bed in the company's multi hospital system would have this technology within two years and that it would be expanded to select Med/Surge floors within three years.

It's called a virtual ICU and it's a coming thing for some smaller units to give them access to more help.
The one I read about: the camera points down and has a red light, it sounds a warning when it's activated to let the nurse know the patient is going to be monitored by camera.
Off site nurses and docs track the telemetry data and can 'intervene' if they see problems: by intervene, they can recommend that you take actions.
It could be a boon for a small ICU without a bunch of veteran staff, but I'd only consent to work if the camera was off and pointed down except for short periods where the offsite wants to physically see the patients and when I, as the bedside nurse, was warned in advance of it's activation.
But if you're interested, look up 'virtual ICU' on your search engine.
~faith,
Timothy.

Zoomer · Aug 3, 2005

I don't know about small ICU's since this was a 30 bed CTICU, Level 1 trauma hospital in a city of one million plus. The person I spoke with indicated that every ICU bed in the company's multi hospital system would have this technology within two years and that it would be expanded to select Med/Surge floors within three years.

My Only fear is that this will be a way to justify higher nurse patient ratios in the ICU. What is the liability issue for the "watchers" if they do not pick up on something? Also seems like a way to get rid of intensivists in the units. My hospital is already talking about using Physician Assistants instead of docs at night.

I am all for technology "helping" I just don't want it "replacing".

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Aug 3, 2005

A few articles on point:

http://community.nursingspectrum.com/MagazineArticles/article.cfm?AID=7882

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29979-2004Sep17.html

"The cameras also can be activated if an ICU nurse in the room asks for help from the remote team. A bell alerts those in the room that the video system is being turned on, said Elizabeth Raitz Cowboy, a critical-care physician who heads the eICU project at Inova. "The cameras are not randomly turned on," she said.

Cowboy also said the system is not expected to reduce Inova Health System's workforce of 1,000 intensive-care nurses, nor will the hospital reduce ICU staffing because of the system. "

"We are part of the care team," Cowboy said. "We are not the primary caretakers."

Justine Medina, director of professional practices and programs at the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, said nurses have received the systems well when they have been installed in other hospitals around the country.

"It sounds a little creepy at first," Medina said, but she added that the system "does not replace the nurse or any other member of the health care team."

~faith,

Timothy.

Zoomer · Aug 3, 2005

A few articles on point:
http://community.nursingspectrum.com/MagazineArticles/article.cfm?AID=7882
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29979-2004Sep17.html
"The cameras also can be activated if an ICU nurse in the room asks for help from the remote team. A bell alerts those in the room that the video system is being turned on, said Elizabeth Raitz Cowboy, a critical-care physician who heads the eICU project at Inova. "The cameras are not randomly turned on," she said.
Cowboy also said the system is not expected to reduce Inova Health System's workforce of 1,000 intensive-care nurses, nor will the hospital reduce ICU staffing because of the system. "
"We are part of the care team," Cowboy said. "We are not the primary caretakers."
Justine Medina, director of professional practices and programs at the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, said nurses have received the systems well when they have been installed in other hospitals around the country.
"It sounds a little creepy at first," Medina said, but she added that the system "does not replace the nurse or any other member of the health care team."
~faith,
Timothy.

Dr Cowboy???? :chuckle

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Aug 3, 2005

Actually, I'd love to be able to continuously monitor confused, fall-risk, Alzheimer's patients or fresh postops, things like that, when staff can't be in the room. Kinda like a video tele system. I think it'd also be a great help for patients who are confused, restless, and on some type of Isolation.

The safety benefit would greatly outweigh the privacy aspect IMO.

But I guess that's different from what the OP is talking about.

The person I spoke with indicated that every ICU bed in the company's multi hospital system would have this technology within two years and that it would be expanded to select Med/Surge floors within three years.

I could see this happening, but I'm not sure that it should.