A woman was left shocked after she woke up in a Black Mirror situation in her own hospital bed.
Those who are familiar with the likes of hospitals and doctors will know there's a real shortage of basically everything in the sector.
From the lack of doctors and nurses to general practices, health care systems across the globe are struggling.
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But while the US faces a critical shortage of nurses, a viral TikTok video has shed light on an innovative solution.
No, it is not training more individuals, but instead a virtual nurse.
And no, believe it or not, this is not a Black Mirror episode.
The creepy concept was discussed by TikTok user @mrsmotivated, who is currently receiving care at MercyOne Hospital in Mason City, Iowa, after suffering a stroke.
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As the TikTok creator offered a glimpse into her life right now, viewers were left surprised to be introduced to the virtual nurse.
"I’m in my room at the hospital, and they don’t have enough staff here. So, they said, ‘Hey, just so you know, there’s a thing on the wall, and it’s going to be your virtual nurse'," the woman explained in her hospital bed.
The 'thing' is a piece of technology that interrupts her TV show to introduce the virtual nurse.
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The sudden appearance of such a character on the screen left the woman impressed, but also a bit freaked out too.
"This is what it’s come to, guys. But this is freaking crazy. My mind blown right now. I’m actually impressed," she added in the viral TikTok.
While the majority of us have probably never even heard of virtual nurses, there are actually pretty useful in a lot of healthcare environments.
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The pandemic has also accelerated the use of virtual nurses, as many were unable to visit hospitals and medical settings as we all isolated.
So, how exactly do they work?
Well, virtual nurses operate from remote centers outside of the hospital, using video conferencing technology to perform tasks that don't require the presence of an actual human.
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Jennifer Ball, director of virtual care at Saint Luke’s Health System, said: "None of us are going to have the complement of nurses that we would like to have moving forward, so we have to get creative with the way that we provide care."
Despite that, not everyone in the comments to the TikTok video are convinced on the virtual nurse.
"They will pay for that technology but won't pay their nurses. Omg. I am so worried," one person penned.
While a second wrote: "I definitely would not use the word impressed. This is a nightmare."
Topics: Health, Technology, TikTok
Callum Jones