Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Experiences With Artificial Intelligence in a Research and Evidence-based Practice Course

As artificial intelligence tools become prominent in health care and education, it is critical to understand nursing students' attitudes and experiences with their use. This project explored senior nursing students' attitudes, experiences, and intentions related to AI integration in a research and evidence-based practice course. Guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, students engaged in structured AI activities. Data were collected using the General Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence Scale and a series of open-ended reflection prompts. Results indicated increases in students' comfort, trust, and perceived usefulness of AI tools in academic and clinical contexts. Statistically significant changes from pre to post survey were noted in the ethical use of AI in nursing (P < .05). Students expressed interest in future use of AI for academic tasks, but also voiced concerns around ethical use, accuracy, and being overly reliant on AI. This study highlights the value of structured, faculty-supported integration of AI in nursing education and offers insight into factors that influence acceptance and engagement. Findings support further development of best practices for incorporating AI into nursing education to prepare students for ever-evolving health care environments.