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Getting Comfortable With AI in Nursing: An Essential Guide

  • By
    Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL
  • Kellie Swink, MSM, BSN, RN, CCRN
Apr 30, 2026

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Ready to lead the future of care? Learn how AI supports nursing practice and enhances clinical decision-making, and why human intuition remains at the heart of healthcare technology.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is here and is being actively integrated into daily healthcare.

Whether you're feeling excited, curious or unsettled, your feelings are valid. Change is here, and change can be difficult.

AI, and the increased use of technology in general, is creating major operational and cultural shifts in how people access, interact with and practice healthcare. While nurses do not need to know every aspect of AI and other technology tools, nursing does need to get comfortable with the idea of AI, understand our professional and ethical responsibilities when using AI, and be aware of resources available to support nurses as we leverage more AI into our practice, policies and procedures.

What is AI?

AI is actually an umbrella term that includes several fields grounded in creating machines with human-level intelligence that can perform tasks such as problem-solving, reasoning and learning. For the purposes of this article, the umbrella term AI refers to AI-enabled technologies.

You are probably engaging with AI technologies more than you think. Here is a short list of AI-integrated technology, some of which you are likely using on a regular basis:

  • Entertainment streaming, virtual reality and gaming apps
  • Image, facial and speech recognition
  • Chatbots
  • Generative AI technology such as ChatGPT
  • GPS navigation
  • Autonomous or self-driving vehicles
  • Weather prediction
  • Fraud detection
  • Wearable devices

There are many things that AI cannot do. AI has been described as mirroring human intelligence, while having none of its own. This is why AI continues to be a tool for humans, not a replacement.

Nurses are especially important when it comes to AI integration into healthcare. We sit at the center of clinical workflow and patient safety. Because AI cannot function without nursing context, judgment and oversight, nurses remain essential to the safe design, governance and use of AI-enabled tools.

In other words: AI will change parts of nursing, but it cannot replace the nurse's mind, presence or advocacy. Instead, it will require all of us to bring our expertise to the table as healthcare continues to digitize.

Addressing Common Concerns About AI in Nursing

AI has brought up many concerns in the nursing profession. Let's discuss a few of the common ones:

Concern: AI is going to replace nurses.

AI is not a replacement for nurses. As described above, AI is a diverse toolkit leveraged by humans. AI is here to enhance our practice, not replace it. It is true that AI will impact how we work and, in some cases, our roles may have to change. However, there is an evolving need for nurses throughout healthcare systems. We may be challenged and need to pivot or upskill, but there is an increasing need for nursing professionals.

An editorial by Goforth and Alderden in Critical Care Nurse (CCN) recommends the following strategies as critical care nurses integrate AI into their practice:

  • Prioritize AI as a supportive tool, not a replacement.
  • Recognize the importance of human relationships in patient care.
  • Invest in training and education.
  • Establish AI governance.
  • Establish collaboration between AI developers and critical care nurses.
  • Prioritize ethical frameworks in high-acuity AI development.

Concern: I don't know how to use AI.

New technology is intimidating - facts. And there are not enough nursing schools or healthcare organizations providing AI education and training for direct care staff. In a survey of over 7,000 nurses, 31% of respondents reported "Lack of knowledge on how to use" when asked about their AI concerns.

The good news is that nurses do not need to know everything about AI tools to use them; however, nurses should be proficient in basic AI literacy and how to use specific AI technologies required by their employers. This idea can feel like a big ask, but it should be done in a way that does not overwhelm nursing professionals. Explore guiding frameworks, such as N.U.R.S.E.S, created by nurses to facilitate other nurses in embracing AI technologies and promoting AI literacy.

Basic AI literacy for nurses does not mean becoming a data scientist. It means being able to:

  • Understand what AI does and what it does not do
  • Identify when AI outputs - what AI makes - do not make clinical sense
  • Use AI tools according to organizational policies
  • Know when to escalate concerns about safety or bias
  • Communicate how AI affects workflow, care quality or patient experience

Concern: What are the ethics of AI in healthcare?

Recently published studies related to nurses' perceptions of AI integration in healthcare find that AI ethics are challenging. Nursing concerns include issues with patient data privacy and security, lack of firm legal and ethical standards, critical thinking inhibition, and fears that AI will exacerbate preexisting health inequities.

Leading nursing and other healthcare organizations, including the American Nurses Association (ANA), are working to create guidance specifically for nurses with resources such as "The Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence in Nursing Practice," an ANA position statement. Because AI is an emerging and constantly evolving space, AI ethics may be a moving target. It is necessary to check in regularly and explore new resources as they become available.

Concern: AI is not accurate and may cause patient harm.

Like any other new technology or tool in healthcare, we must use caution, and issues will come up. An article released by JAMA Network makes these recommendations to ensure patient safety when using AI:

  • Develop and encourage use of guidelines for safe AI implementation in clinical settings.
  • Frequently monitor AI for patient safety risks.
  • Develop processes to enable traceability of AI system contributions to patient safety events.

As nurses, we have an ethical and professional obligation to advocate for the health and safety of those receiving nursing care. This obligation includes the adoption of AI in patient care. Nurses have the opportunity to influence AI technologies to promote optimal patient outcomes and ensure patient safety.

Benefits of AI in Nursing

While many concerns exist about AI in nursing, the benefits are emerging. Following are just a few described by My American Nurse and HealthSnap:

  • Reducing documentation burden for nurses
  • Early detection of patient deterioration
  • Clinical decision support
  • Enhanced patient monitoring
  • Smart robotics and automation
  • Predicting patient anomalies for future care needs

New technologies and AI applications are constantly being created, so future benefits are difficult to predict. The potential uses are fairly unlimited, and we will continue to monitor them.

Limitations of AI in Nursing

Although AI has many benefits, it also has limitations:

Lack of empathy

  • AI cannot replicate the emotional intelligence, compassion and empathy that nurses provide to patients and families.
  • Patient care requires emotional support, which is beyond AI's capabilities.

Bias

  • AI systems depend on accurate, complete and unbiased data.
  • Poor data quality or biased datasets can lead to incorrect recommendations, negatively impacting patient safety, and potentially exacerbating inequities in care.

Limited scope

  • AI excels in specific tasks (e.g., monitoring vitals, predicting risks) but struggles with holistic care.
  • It cannot manage unpredictable situations or emergencies effectively.

Limited clinical judgment

  • AI relies on data and algorithms, but nursing decisions often involve nuanced judgment based on experience and a layered context.
  • AI may not be able to handle complex cases with ambiguous symptoms very well.

Cost and training

  • Implementing AI systems can be expensive.
  • Nurses need training to use AI tools effectively, which adds to the workload and costs.

Risk of nurse over-reliance

  • Nurses might become overly dependent on AI recommendations, reducing critical thinking.
  • AI should assist, not replace, human decision-making.

Your role in safe AI adoption

AI safety is a shared responsibility, and nurses are essential voices in that process. When AI is being adopted in the patient care space, consider:

  • Speaking up when something doesn't look right
  • Identifying workflow gaps
  • Ensuring patient-centered care
  • Participating in organizational governance and safety discussions on AI adoption

Ways nurses can start using AI

Learning about AI starts with using it. Nurses can explore AI-enabled tools in a wide variety of ways. When using AI in the workplace, it is essential to follow your health system's policies and procedures. Always validate all information created by AI, and never enter protected health information in unapproved tools. If you are unsure what tools are approved, ask your leaders.

Use AI for learning support

  • Create summaries, concept explanations, flashcards and clinical-reasoning practice for your own educational use or for staff.

Use AI to prepare for patient education

Use AI to reduce cognitive load

  • Draft emails and organize complex information by leveraging AI to refine written communications.
  • Create a checklist for procedures, onboarding and standard workflows; create memory aids for clinical topics, utilize AI for data analysis, and condense journal articles into practical takeaways.

Resources to get comfortable with AI in nursing

It is impossible to learn about something new without support. Here are some resources to empower nurses to leverage AI as a tool to promote excellence in your practice:

Professional Nursing Organizations 

Healthcare Organizations

Journal and Association Articles

NTI Recorded Sessions

Podcasts

Driving excellence in nursing

At AACN, our mission is to drive excellence in acute and critical care for nurses, patients and families. Nurses leverage a wide variety of tools, knowledge and skills to promote optimal patient and family care experiences and outcomes, enhance patient safety, progress health inclusion, foster healthy work environments and support nurse well-being. While new, AI is another tool in the nurse's toolbox to achieve those objectives. It is challenging, but it will challenge us to be great.

How have you seen or used AI in your healthcare setting?

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Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL
Clinical Practice Specialist, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
Sarah is a former emergency department nurse and is committed to improving healthcare for patients and clinicians.
featured profile
Kellie Swink, MSM, BSN, RN, CCRN
Clinical Practice Specialist, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
Kellie is a pediatric critical care nurse empowering nurses to use AI as a tool for safer, smarter and more human-centered care.
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