In November 2025, Rady Children’s Hospital Orange County expanded its Virtual Nursing Program to include the Julia and George Argyros Emergency Department and the neuroscience unit located in the Bill Holmes Tower.
The program was initially launched in September 2024 as a pilot project in the multispecialty unit, which caters to a diverse patient demographic with medical, oncologic, hematologic and neurological conditions. The program enhances patient care by providing an additional layer of support during hospital stays. Virtual nurses serve as an extra set of eyes and ears for patients during their hospital stay, says Anne Tanner, executive director of special projects.
Understanding virtual nursing
The hospital utilizes a platform known as care.ai to provide virtual nurse visits to patients during their stay, using the existing television in the room, along with a camera and speaker installed near it.
Much like a FaceTime or Zoom call, patients receive a virtual “knock,” indicated by a chime and an announcement from the virtual nurse, asking for permission to visit. Once the patient consents, the television displays the nurse’s face, allowing for a two-way visual interaction.
Through this setup, nurses can conduct virtual visits with patients and their families. Care.ai’s technology supports various tasks such as admissions, discharges, and routine check-ins. Patient privacy is a top priority; no photos or videos are recorded or saved. If the timing isn’t suitable for a visit, patients can request virtual nurses to visit later. Cameras remain off and are pointed upwards towards the ceiling when not in use.
Virtual nurses are seasoned, tenured Rady Children’s nurses, handpicked by nursing leadership to ensure the delivery of high-quality, efficient and patient-centered care. Virtual nurses operate on-site in Orange in private offices near each unit. After completing virtual training on the care.ai system, nurses attend a three-hour, in-person class. Currently, there are 13 trained virtual nurses for the multispecialty unit, six for the emergency department and nine for the neuroscience unit.
To enhance support for patients and their families, virtual nurses have the ability to request on-site interpreters or utilize LanguageLine, the hospital’s on-demand language and interpretation system, for translation and interpretation services, as necessary.
Rady Children’s is leading the way
With 81 beds now equipped for virtual nurse visits, Rady Children’s in Orange is at the forefront of this innovative patient care approach. The emergency department is the first pediatric facility to implement virtual nursing in collaboration with our care.ai partner, setting a benchmark for others to follow. The program has already demonstrated benefits, including reduced admission and discharge times, and has garnered positive feedback from both patients, families and nursing staff. Both virtual and bedside nurses reported high levels of job satisfaction, and patients and their families expressed gratitude for receiving support and attention from both bedside and virtual nurses.
“The program has given us the opportunity to connect with patients and families in a new way. It has also given me an opportunity to mentor other nurses,” says Kelsey Jepsen, breaker nurse, in the neuroscience unit. Kelsey was part of the pilot program in the multispecialty unit and trained the virtual nurses in both the emergency department and the neuroscience unit.
Rady Children’s commitment to integrating technology with compassionate care is reflected in the ongoing success and planned growth of the Virtual Nursing Program. As healthcare continues to evolve, the hospital remains dedicated to improving patient outcomes through innovative solutions that prioritize comfort, efficiency and accessibility. The expansion of the program enhances the hospital’s service offerings and strengthens its role as a pioneer in pediatric healthcare.
As the program continues to develop, Rady Children’s is poised to set new standards for patient care and serve as a model for institutions nationwide. The anticipated expansion in FY27 will undoubtedly bring even more opportunities to leverage technology in meaningful ways, ultimately enhancing the hospital experience for children and their families.
