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Telehealth Nursing

What is telehealth nursing?

Telehealth means the use of interactive audio, video, or other electronic media to deliver health care. It includes the use of electronic media for diagnosis, consultation, treatment, transfer of health or medical data, and continuing education. See KRS 314.155.

The Kentucky Board of Nursing interprets the location of nursing care as taking place at the location of the patient. A nurse providing nursing services via telehealth to a person physically located in Kentucky shall be licensed by the board or hold a privilege to practice. See 201 KAR 20:520.

Nurses holding a multistate license have a privilege to practice in other compact states. States participating in the Nurse Licensure Compact have likewise determined that nursing practice occurs where the patient is located.

Each nurse must practice within the nurse’s licensed scope of practice. On the following page, you can review statutory definitions, including the scope of practice for LPNs, RNs, and APRNs. KRS 314.011

Telehealth may include all elements of the nursing process. See 201 KAR 20:520 and 907 KAR 3:170. For more information, please review the AOS (Advisory Opinion Statement) #42 Telehealth and Nursing.

Nurses engaging in telehealth to provide patient care must follow all requirements, listed in KRS 314.155. These requirements include the specific duties of nurses practicing in telehealth to ensure patient's informed consent and to maintain confidentiality.


One of the most important elements of patient care is the “practitioner-patient relationship” as defined in KRS 218A.010. This relationship requires at least one “good faith prior examination.” An in-person medical examination of the patient by the prescribing practitioner or other health care professional, where “in-person” includes telehealth examinations.

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