New hospital robots are helping OC nurses monitor patients

ORANGE, Calif. (KABC) -- New interactive robots at Saint Joseph Hospital in Orange, California are helping nurses keep a close eye on their patients.

Chuck McGibbon returned to the at Saint Joseph Hospital for the fifth time since his stroke two years ago. His wife, Fran McGibbon, has always stayed in his room with him because he often gets confused and tries to get out of bed.

The Avasys Telesitter changed all that.

"Knowing that the camera was on him and somebody was observing him, I went home and had a peaceful night's sleep. I slept from seven to four in the morning for the first time ever, said McGibbon of her husband.

The Telesitter is assigned to patients who are confused, have dementia, or are going through alcohol withdrawal.

The video feed from the camera on the Telesitter is monitored by one technicians who is able to watch more than 12 rooms at once.

This relieves pressure on nursing aides who used to have to monitor patients in person.

If the technician sees a patient trying to get up or pull IVs out, he or she can talk to the patient directly through the monitor or send a message to the nurse. The Telesitter can also speak in Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean and several Chinese dialects.

It's estimated that the Telesitter has already saved the hospital thousands of dollars without displacing any jobs.