Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40726070›Full record

SynthesisJournal of advanced nursing2026

Virtual Nursing in Residential Aged Care: What Is Known? A Rapid Review.

S J Haines, J FitzGerald, S Clune, Y Wells, A-M Mahoney, D Fetherstonhaugh, H Jiang, I Blackberry, J Collier, D Ratnaike and 2 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of advanced nursing, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

S J HainesJohn Richards Centre-Rural Ageing Research, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4768-9311
J FitzGeraldAustralian Institute for Primary Care and Ageing, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7417-6696
S CluneAustralian Institute for Primary Care and Ageing, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2553-5776
Y WellsAustralian Institute for Primary Care and Ageing, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9678-5580
A-M MahoneyAustralian Institute for Primary Care and Ageing, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
D FetherstonhaughAustralian Institute for Primary Care and Ageing, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
H JiangDepartment of Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
I BlackberryJohn Richards Centre-Rural Ageing Research, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4482-4936
J CollierAustralian Institute for Primary Care and Ageing, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
D RatnaikeAustralian Institute for Primary Care and Ageing, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
T RasekabaJohn Richards Centre-Rural Ageing Research, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
S MacDermottJohn Richards Centre-Rural Ageing Research, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.

Funding

Department of Health and Aged Care, Australian Government
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsTo review current evidence on the implementation and impact of virtual nursing care in long-term aged care.

designAn integrative rapid literature review. DATA SOURCES: Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, Embase, Ageline and Scopus. REVIEW

methodsThe review included studies involving virtual care interventions provided by nurses (or by a multidisciplinary team including nurses) to older people in residential aged care that reported health outcomes or stakeholder experiences. Consistent with PRISMA guidelines, databases were systematically searched in July and August 2024, focusing on literature published since 2014. Studies were screened in Covidence by three team members, with conflicts resolved by additional reviewers. Studies not involving nurses or not set in aged care were excluded.

resultsThe search identified 13 studies, which included quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method approaches, conducted in both Australian and international settings, as well as in rural and metropolitan locations. Nurses were often involved as part of an existing virtual care programme, typically located in a hospital setting. The training and credentials of nurses delivering VN varied in terms of specialisation and advanced practice. The model of care in general was ad hoc, though in some cases there were regular, scheduled VN consultations. The time requirements for onsite staff and nurses were not well articulated in any of the studies, and information on the funding models used was also lacking.

conclusionThere is some evidence that VN interventions in aged care may improve communication, enhance person-centred care and reduce emergency department presentations and hospitalisations. IMPACT, PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Rigorous, ongoing evaluation of VN interventions is required to ensure their appropriate application in residential aged care.

Indexed as

Geriatric NursingHomes for the AgedTelemedicineAgedAged, 80 and overAustraliaFemaleHumansMalelong‐term careolder adultsresidential aged caretelehealthvirtual carevirtual nursing

Identifiers

PMID40726070
PMCPMC12994646

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.