Nursing Students' Perceptions and Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Nursing Education

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
• Generative AI Applications

Background:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing nursing education.
• Generative AI (GenAI) tools like ChatGPT offer potential for personalized learning pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nursing students' usage of GenAI.
• To understand student perceptions of GenAI's advantages, disadvantages, and support needs in nursing education.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was conducted with 99 undergraduate nursing students in New York City.
• Data was collected via self-report measures with semi-structured, open-ended questions.
• Content analysis was used to analyze the collected data.

Main Results:

• 92% of students used GenAI for information access, concept clarification, and clinical task support.
• Students found GenAI valuable for simplifying complex information, providing definitions, practice questions, and writing assistance.
• Drawbacks included costs, over-reliance, information overload, accuracy issues, and trust concerns.

Conclusions:

• GenAI positively impacts nursing education, emphasizing the need for critical evaluation guidelines.
• Effective integration requires introductory sessions, support programs, and a conducive environment for responsible AI use.
• Educators should prepare students for GenAI's role in future nursing practice.