Is Being a Telehealth Nurse Practitioner Right for You?
Can nurse practitioners do telehealth? Yes, a telehealth nurse practitioner can provide care remotely, and many do. If you’re looking for a way to escape long hospital shifts or rigid in-person schedules, you might be curious about this role. Learn more about the responsibilities of this role, as well as the training and education required.
While telephone triage might come to mind when you think about telehealth, it’s not the only area that needs remote nurses. Telehealth NPs can work in behavioral health, chronic disease management, women’s health, dermatology, and other specialties. They may be employed by hospitals, outpatient clinics, insurance companies, or direct-to-consumer health tech startups. Depending on state practice authority laws, they may even be able to own their own telehealth business.
What Is a Telehealth Nurse Practitioner and What Do They Do?
A telehealth NP is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who provides patient care remotely using phone, video, or secure messaging platforms. They can assess, diagnose, and manage a wide range of health conditions without the need for in-person visits. While the scope of their work depends on their certification and employer, telehealth NPs often handle virtual consults, manage chronic conditions, prescribe medications, and follow up with patients across various specialties.
Day-to-day tasks you might see in this role include:
- Reviewing patient histories.
- Ordering lab tests.
- Adjusting medications.
- Counseling patients on lifestyle or treatment plans.
- Thoroughly documenting visits in the electronic health record (EHR).
Essential Skills of a Telehealth Nurse Practitioner
What could make someone a good fit to work as a remote NP? Nurses need advanced training and education to become nurse practitioners. And telehealth NPs need the following additional attributes to do well in this role:
- Confidence: This role requires you to work independently, so you’ll need to trust in your ability to make patient care decisions without much supervision.
- Time management: Some NPs in this role have to handle high volumes of patients while juggling multiple platforms, messaging systems, and EHR systems.
- Communication: You’ll need to clearly explain diagnoses and plans of care to patients and manage follow-up steps with other providers.
Pros and Cons of Being a Telehealth Nurse Practitioner
What elements of this role might be benefits or drawbacks? If you decide to pursue this role, check out the potential pros and cons you might experience:
Benefits:
- Work-life balance: Working from home can leave more room in your schedule for being with family, and remote roles often operate on an office schedule.
- Fewer physical demands: Tired of running around the hospital? A telehealth role lets you use your clinical skills from the comfort of a desk, leading to less physical strain.
Drawbacks:
- Limited hands-on assessment: In some cases, not being able to auscultate or palpate during a physical exam can feel limiting. These patients may need referrals to in-person providers.
- Less personal interaction: It may be somewhat isolating to work remotely, and it can be more difficult to form connections with coworkers and patients when you’re not in person.
How Much Do Telehealth Nurse Practitioners Make?
On average, telehealth NPs earn about $130,000 per year. Your income may be more or less than that depending on your level of experience, credentials, specialty, settings, and location.
Where you work is a major determinant of what you earn as a nurse practitioner. If you’re curious about making more, you might want to learn more about NP roles in states with the highest average income for NPs:
How to Become a Telehealth Nurse Practitioner: 5 Steps
If you’re interested in this role, know that completing the training and schooling requirements to become an NP will typically take at least six years. If you’re an experienced RN, becoming an NP will take at least two years, and likely more. Learn more about this pathway through the steps below.
Step 1: Become an RN
To become an NP, you’ll first need to become a registered nurse. RNs have two degree tracks to choose from — an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). NP schools may prefer the BSN, but there are RN-to-NP bridge programs as well. Learn more about comparing ADN and BSN degrees.
If you already have a non-nursing degree, are committed to becoming an NP, and are ready to jump into school, you might consider a direct-entry NP program. Direct-entry students complete their RN requirements and advanced practice training within the same program.
Step 2: Gain Nursing Experience
NP schools typically require students to have at least two years of experience to apply. This requirement ensures that you have the requisite clinical reasoning skills to become an NP. It’s also a great time to explore nursing specialties and gain a deeper understanding of the type of nurse practitioner you’d like to be.
Consider working in the following areas:
- Emergency department
- Med-surg
- Pediatrics
- Oncology
- Telemetry
- Mental health nursing
- Home health
- Post-acute care
Step 3: Attend NP School and Become Board Certified
Once you meet application requirements, it’s time to apply to and attend an NP program. There are two degrees for NPs: the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or the Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP).
Depending on the patient population you plan on caring for, there are a few specialty programs to choose from. These will coincide with the board certification you pursue after graduation. Here are a few options:
- Family NP (FNP) programs focus on primary care and health maintenance across the lifespan. After graduating from one of these programs, you’ll have to obtain board certification to become an FNP-C or FNP-BC. Some FNPs pursue a specialty in Emergency Medicine to become ENPs.
- Adult-Gerontology NP (AGNP) programs focus on care for adults and geriatric populations. These clinicians may be certified in acute care (AGACNP-BC) or primary care (AGPCNP-BC).
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) programs focus on mental health care management across the lifespan. After graduating from one of these programs, you’ll need to pursue certification as a PMHNP-BC to begin practicing.
Step 4: Gain NP Experience
Telehealth employers tend to prefer candidates with at least one year of experience. This is a great time to build your confidence, ask questions of more seasoned providers, and deepen your specialty expertise. Some NPs even pursue fellowships after graduation to add structure to their learning within the first year of advanced practice.
Step 5: Begin Working as a Telehealth Nurse Practitioner
Once you’ve built a foundation in clinical care, you can begin applying to telehealth NP jobs and remote NP jobs. Use our guides to update your NP resume and cover letter, and be sure to highlight your clinical experience, tech proficiency, and ability to work independently during the application process.
Telehealth Nurse Practitioner FAQ
Do telehealth NPs need a separate license to practice in multiple states?
Yes, in most cases. Nurse practitioners must be licensed in the state where the patient is physically located at the time of the telehealth visit. Unfortunately, the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) does not currently apply to APRNs in most states. If you plan to see patients across state lines, you may need to apply for additional state licenses. Always check with individual state boards for the most up-to-date licensure requirements.
What technology or equipment do telehealth NPs need at home?
Telehealth NPs need a phone, an internet connection, and a video calling service. Employers typically provide a work computer and phone, but you may need to pay for Wi-Fi if you work from home.
Are there any specific certifications for telehealth NPs?
Not currently. The American Heart Association offers the Telehealth Professional Certification, but this is not specific to NPs. Learn more about nursing specialty certifications.
Find Roles for Nurse Practitioners
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