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Overburdened by burnout and stretched thin by staffing shortages, nurses face daunting patient-to-nurse ratios. But artificial intelligence (AI) could be the game-changer the nursing profession needs.
AI is poised to revolutionize nursing, offering tools to assist with everything from transcription and patient monitoring to clinical decision-making. The potential impact on patient care is immense, with the technology still in its infancy but rapidly evolving.
“There’s a lot of talk about the potential of AI in nursing and healthcare,” said Stephen A. Ferrara, DNP, associate dean of AI at Columbia University’s School of Nursing and president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. “Where we are now isn’t necessarily where we’re going to be. It’s going to continue to develop.”
Despite AI’s nascent stage, many nurses are optimistic about its possibilities. A recent survey revealed that two-thirds of nurses believe AI could ease workloads and enhance patient care, especially in areas like patient education, medication management, and improving diagnostic accuracy.
Easing the Administrative Burden
Managing documentation is one of the most time-consuming tasks for nurses, consuming up to 15% of each shift. AI tools, such as nursing scribes and device integration systems, aim to alleviate this burden. By automating administrative tasks, nurses can focus on patient care.
Karen Cox, PhD, RN, FAAN, president of Chamberlain University, explained, “We expect nurses to operate at the full scope of their practice and capabilities. Right now, a lot of nurses spend an inordinate amount of time chasing data.”
Leading hospitals are already leveraging AI to address this challenge. Mass General Brigham in Boston uses generative AI to document clinical notes, with 58% of notes requiring no additional editing. Similarly, Stanford Health Care employs an AI-powered app that uses ambient voice recognition to summarize patient interactions, aiming to enhance the patient-nurse connection.
“If we can manage administrative tasks hands-free, we could release the cognitive burden that affects nurses,” said Darren Batara, MS, BSN, RN, manager of nursing innovation at Stanford Health Care.
Addressing Concerns and Building Trust
While AI holds promise, it also raises concerns. The American Nurses Association has incorporated guidance on the ethical use of AI in its code of ethics, emphasizing that AI should support the profession’s core values. Education and transparency are critical to addressing nurses’ reservations.
Nerissa Ambers, director of Health Informatics at Stanford Health Care, is working to dispel misconceptions and build confidence in AI’s role. “AI is not going to replace nurses,” she said. “The message is that we need to learn how to use it because it is a disruptive technology. The more we can use it to our advantage, the better.”
Survey data suggests that clear guidelines, nurse involvement in AI design, and evidence of effectiveness are key to fostering trust in AI tools.
“In general, nurses will support things when they understand the ‘why’ and are involved in making those decisions,” Cox added.
The Future of AI in Nursing
AI’s potential extends beyond documentation and decision support. Predictive analytics can identify trends in patient data, wearable devices can integrate health metrics into electronic health records (EHRs), and chatbots can triage patients more efficiently. However, equity concerns remain, with under-resourced hospitals at risk of being left behind in AI adoption.
“We want to be mindful of equity as these tools are deployed,” Ferrara emphasized. “We must ensure that all health systems, regardless of resources, can access AI’s benefits.”
Introducing AI gradually and demonstrating its tangible benefits are crucial to winning over nurses and integrating AI into workflows. “We need to start small and stay focused on raising proficiency,” Batara said. “At the end of the day, that’s what matters.”
As AI continues to evolve, it offers hope for a future where nurses can focus more on patient care, free from the weight of administrative tasks, and empowered with tools to deliver even better care.
