On Virtual Presence.

Advances in health care and communication technology have expanded nursing practice to nontraditional environments that preclude the physical presence of the nurse for a caring encounter. An increasing number of nurses are creating and maintaining nurse-patient relationships and practicing in a diverse range of specialties in virtual/distance environments. Can nursing presence as a caring modality be "real" in a virtual/distance environment? A new ontology of nursing presence is offered that transcends people, place, space, and time.