Patient Engagement in Bedside vs Virtual Nursing

Virtual nursing models are seeing widespread usage in hospitals. While these approaches offer innovative solutions to healthcare delivery clinician shortages, there are questions about whether they can replicate the engagement and emotional connection of bedside education. This study examines how delivery modality (bedside vs. virtual nurse) influences patient engagement and emotional response during Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) education. The participants are hospitalized CHF patients aged 40 and older. Patients are randomly assigned to receive education either from a bedside nurse or from a virtual nurse displayed on a screen in the patient’s room. Two primary data collection methods are being used: prosodic vocal analysis to assess emotional tone, pitch, and rhythm, and structured observations of non-verbal cues and patient behaviors. Preliminary results indicate that bedside education tends to foster stronger emotional connection and visible engagement. As data collection continues, this work will help guide improvements in virtual nursing models.

Describe how prosodic vocal analysis and structured observations can be applied to assess patient engagement and emotional response during education sessions.

Explain how delivery modality (bedside vs. virtual) influences patient interaction and comprehension in clinical education.