Nurse Leadership and Artificial Intelligence Integration in Nursing Workforce Management: A Scoping Review.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Informatics
• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems into healthcare management is rapidly evolving.
• Nursing leadership plays a pivotal role in the adoption and effective utilization of AI technologies within healthcare settings.
• Understanding the current landscape of AI application in nursing workforce management is essential for strategic planning and implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically map the existing evidence on AI systems applied to nursing workforce management.
• To specifically focus on the role and impact of nurse leaders in the context of AI implementation.
• To identify current applications, benefits, challenges, and future directions of AI in nursing leadership and management.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping review methodology was employed.
• Literature search conducted across six major academic databases (CINAHL, IEEE Xplore, MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science).
• Inclusion criteria focused on studies published between January 2015 and December 2024, specifically addressing AI in nursing leadership or workforce management.

Main Results:

• Twelve studies were included, with a significant concentration of publications between 2022 and 2024.
• AI applications identified in workforce planning, nursing safety, and staff prediction models, highlighting optimization potential.
• Ethical implications, including discriminatory stereotypes and the critical role of nurse leaders in ethical AI integration, were noted. Barriers to AI integration and the need for enhanced nurse manager training were also identified.

Conclusions:

• The application of AI in nursing leadership and management is in its nascent stages, characterized by limited nurse involvement in AI innovation and implementation.
• Successful AI integration is contingent upon addressing nurse leaders' readiness and engagement early in the AI development process.
• Proactive strategies include developing AI competency and trust through basic AI understanding and fostering multidisciplinary AI development teams inclusive of nurses.