AI needs a nurse: Why nurses' input is vital in preserving patient-centered care
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The rapid rollout of artificial intelligence (AI) in nursing requires active oversight by nurses to safeguard patient safety and the profession's core values of holistic, compassionate care, according to a recent University of Minnesota School of Nursing study.
Published in Nursing Outlook, the study involves a detailed analysis by a 12-member expert panel of how AI aligns with the American Nursing Association's 2025 Code of Ethics for Nurses. While researchers found this technology can help with routine administrative tasks, they conclude it must never supplant the relational, caring responsibilities at the heart of nursing.
"Our analysis makes clear that AI can handle tasks, but it cannot yet replicate the ethical reasoning, moral agency and compassionate presence that define nursing. Protecting those qualities in the age of AI is not only a professional responsibility but also what patients deserve," said the study's senior author, Martin Michalowski, an associate professor in the University of Minnesota School of Nursing.
Here are five takeaways from the study:
AI is best used to support, not substitute, nursing care
Nursing experts agree that AI can make sense for handling technical, administrative or data-intensive tasks, freeing up nurses to focus on personalized patient care. Examples include virtual scribes that reduce time spent on the computer, predictive models that identify patients at risk for issues like sepsis or falls, and robots that can help with patient lifting. AI-assisted education simulations also can be valuable. When paired with proper training, these tools can mitigate burnout and allow nurses to return to the type of work that brings them joy.
Human element of nursing is irreplaceable
Nurses play a critical role in building trust and providing empathetic, human-centered care. Experts caution that an overreliance on AI recommendations, often called automation bias, could gradually erode nursing judgment. It is vital that nurses feel empowered to question AI-driven suggestions, ensuring that technology never disrupts the unique relationship between a nurse and a patient.
"If a nurse cannot understand why an algorithm flagged a patient or recommended a particular intervention, the limited knowledge can complicate their ability to fulfill their professional obligation to advocate for that patient's rights and safety," said study author Patricia A. Ball Dunlap, a Ph.D. candidate in the University of Minnesota School of Nursing.
Critical gaps in AI development must be addressed
Researchers discovered two major knowledge gaps when it comes to AI. One is a lack of evidence-based AI tools that support nurses in maintaining their ethical standards or fostering a moral work environment. The second is a shortage of research on the environmental and planetary health impacts of large-scale AI computing, which directly conflicts with the newest provision in the nursing code that addresses nursing's responsibility to global and environmental health.
Nursing education must prioritize AI literacy
The next generation of nurses must be equipped to critically evaluate and, when necessary, challenge AI outputs. Nursing curricula should be updated to integrate data science foundations and AI ethics alongside traditional clinical skills.
"We must prepare current and future nurses to confidently navigate, challenge and shape AI technologies," said study author Jenna Marquard, a professor in the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. "True AI literacy goes beyond technical skills. It embeds the ethical framework and critical thinking nurses need to leverage these tools safely, effectively and always with the patient's well-being at the center."
Nurses must play role in AI governance
Given the profound impact of AI on nursing, it is critical that nurses at all levels play a key role in AI oversight to ensure these technologies align with the relational and caring nature of nursing. Nurses also need to be part of the design process for these systems, providing input on more than just usability. Their insight is needed on how AI tools handle clinical decision-making, algorithmic transparency and ethically sensitive care contexts.
"The question is not whether AI will transform nursing, because it already has," Michalowski said. "The question is whether the nursing profession will lead that transformation or be passively shaped by it."
More information
Patricia A. Ball Dunlap et al, Artificial intelligence can replace nursing tasks, but not nurses: Examining artificial intelligence's supports and threats to nursing practice through the lens of the 2025 Nursing Code of Ethics, Nursing Outlook (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.outlook.2026.102808
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Artificial IntelligencePatient SafetySepsis
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Gaby Clark
MA in English, copy editor since 2021 with experience in higher education and health content. Dedicated to trustworthy science news. Full profile →
Andrew Zinin
Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success. Full profile →
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