Advancing Nursing Practice Through Artificial Intelligence: Unlocking Its Transformative Impact

Artificial intelligence in healthcare settings is set to change the nursing profession and offer opportunities to address contemporary problems facing the profession, such as the shortage of nurses, access to care, and patient complexity. The use of AI has the potential to improve nursing practice; however, success depends on user-centered design, openness, and fitting in with the core values of nurses. Challenges may include integration barriers, readiness of the workforce, regulatory risks, and implementation strategies that seem to focus more on the use of technology than on benefits of the application. Our review of the literature found examples of AI tools in healthcare settings and features of both effective and poor implementation of technology in practice. It is important for professional nurses to stay current and take every opportunity to shape the incorporation of this technology into nursing practice. This article discusses the impact of AI on nurses and the nursing profession, the issues that arise from its use, and future directions within this emerging field. The content within offers a general overview for nurses about AI technologies, including descriptions and examples of current applications; considerations for AI in education settings; rules for expanding scope of practice; and ethical, legal, and social implications. Although AI can help improve nursing practice and subsequently widen the scope of nurses, integration can only be done effectively if nurses are actively involved in discussions about the development and execution of the process.