The Basics of Artificial Intelligence in Nursing: Fundamentals and Recommendations for Educators

• Published in: The Journal of nursing education Vol. 62; no. 12; pp. 716 - 720
• Main Authors: Schneidereith, Tonya A., Thibault, Joseph
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thorofare SLACK INCORPORATED 01.12.2023
• Subjects: Algorithms; Artificial intelligence; Brain; Chatbots; Computers; Decision making; Decision Support Systems; Deep learning; Fuzzy logic; Language; Language Processing; Logical Thinking; Machine learning; Mathematics; Natural language processing; Nurses; Nursing education; Nursing Research; Patients; Pressure ulcers; Programming Languages; Sepsis; Teachers; Thinking Skills; Usability
• ISSN: 0148-4834; 1938-2421; 1938-2421
• DOI: 10.3928/01484834-20231006-03

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) offers exciting possibilities; however, AI is a double-edged sword. The adoption of this technology offers many benefits but also presents risks to academic integrity and appropriately prepared graduates. Many of today's nurse educators are from generations that are unlikely to possess an understanding of AI. This article provides fundamental knowledge needed to understand the current state of AI in nursing and offers recommendations to nurse educators on ways to responsibly incorporate AI technologies into nursing curricula. Method: AI literature from PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar was reviewed and synthesized. Results: Definitions, explanations, and applications to nursing education are outlined. Recommendations are made for AI implementation, along with ideas to avoid potential AI-enabled plagiarism and academic dishonesty. Conclusion: As professionals, nurse educators should understand the basics of AI and be able to judge the appropriateness of integration and also recognize opportunities to embrace future application. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(12):716–720.]