A New South Wales hospital has created a virtual video system to ensure families and intensive care patients stay connected during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The new system was introduced at Wollongong Hospital after in-person visitation was banned to mitigate the spread of the virus.
Intensive Care Unit nursing manager Bernadine O'Brien said the restrictions on visiting were having a huge impact on both families and staff.
"Having to say no sorry you can't visit, that has a huge impact on the nursing staff," she said.
Other video conferencing services, such as Zoom or Skype, were not adequate due to an ICU patient's condition, and the need for staff to assist with organising the technology.
Wollongong Hospital has instead selected a relative newcomer in the virtual meeting software space, that was developed just for health care services, called HowRYou.
Ms O'Brien said while the virtual system could not replace the physical presence of a loved one, the new software had improved conditions for patients and staff at the hospital.
"It has definitely had a calming effect on the nursing staff, it reduces their stress level," she said.
"By no means is there any substitute for having someone physically at their bedside with their loved one but this has made it just that little bit easier than it was before," she said.
ICU nurse Agatha Fryday said the system had also given families greater flexibility.
"It's just created some empowerment for our patients' families, just allowing them to decide when they want to visit and how they want to visit their family members," Ms Fryday said.
"It has been a really beautiful experience as a bedside nurse."
"I've had families sit and read the newspaper with their loved ones, having their morning coffee with their loved ones, just the things that you miss so much when you're in hospital with your family
The system is now also being made available to patients in Wollongong Hospital's other wards and Ms O'Brien said she hopes it will be rolled out at facilities across the state.
