A COVID-19 Rapid Response: Evaluating an interRAI telehealth placement for final year nursing students

Abstract or Summary

This research study evaluates a novel ‘telehealth’ clinical placement undertaken by final-year Wintec Bachelor of Nursing students in 2020. These students, after training from the appropriate organisations, contacted and undertook health and wellbeing assessments for ‘at-risk’ older people across the Waikato Region during the national COVID-19 lockdown. This represented the first example of telehealth approved by the Nursing Council of New Zealand as a student clinical experience. Results reveal several key themes highlighting the importance and lessons from this initiative, including tackling COVID-19; implementation requirements; nursing competencies; provider relationships, and community insights. More broadly, they demonstrate the viability and importance of telehealth placements in nursing programmes and provide learnings for those seeking to replicate such placements, especially in the context of constrained health systems growing health challenges.