The virtual ICU (vICU): a new dimension for critical care nursing practice.

The virtual or remote intensive care unit is a redesigned model of care that uses state-of-the-art technology to leverage the expertise and knowledge of experienced caregivers over a large group of patients in multiple intensive care units. The registered nurse working in this environment, or eRN, is an expert clinician familiar with evidence-based clinical initiatives that need to occur at the bedside to optimize outcomes for patients. The eRN assists the bedside team by providing a second layer of quality and safety. As the use of this technology continues to grow, a new dimension for critical care nursing practice is emerging that has dramatic implications for the future.