Are surgical nurses ready for artificial intelligence? Attitudes toward artificial intelligence technologies in surgical units

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the attitudes of surgical unit nurses towards the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in nursing. METHOD: A descriptive and cross-sectional design was used. The study was conducted with 368 nurses working in surgical units of two hospitals located in eastern Turkey between July and October 2025. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form and the Attitude Scale for the Use of Artificial Intelligence Technologies in Nursing. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Welch tests, and post hoc analyses were applied using SPSS, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Nurses generally exhibited a moderately positive attitude towards the use of AI (48.32 ± 5.88). Nurses aged 18-25, female nurses, and those with 1-10 years of experience showed significantly more positive attitudes than other groups (p < 0.05). Nurses who had received AI training had lower negative attitude scores than those who had not received such training (p < 0.05). Among nurses with higher AI knowledge, more positive and fewer negative attitudes were observed (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found in the surgical units in which they worked (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Nurses' attitudes toward artificial intelligence technologies vary according to personal and professional characteristics, as well as education and knowledge levels. Expanding AI-related training programs and enhancing nurses' knowledge may promote more positive attitudes and facilitate the effective integration of AI technologies into surgical nursing practice.