Reimagining nursing education: Leveraging competency-based education, artificial intelligence, and simulation for a...

Nurses represent the largest share of the U.S. health-care workforce and are central to improving population health. Transforming nursing education into a responsive, adaptive, competency-based system is essential to prepare a diverse, practice-ready workforce.

This concept paper presents a vision for integrating artificial intelligence (AI), competency-based education (CBE), and simulation to personalize learning, enhance skill acquisition, and foster cultural respect in nursing education.

We propose shifting from rigid, time-bound curricula to flexible, competency-driven pathways that allow learners to progress at their own pace. Hypothetical student and faculty scenarios illustrate how these innovations can accommodate diverse life circumstances and learning styles.

This approach expands access for underrepresented groups-including adult learners and those with caregiving responsibilities-while cultivating a workforce equipped to deliver community-oriented care and address social determinants of health such as housing, education, and nutrition.

By embracing AI, CBE, and simulation, nursing education can be reimagined to build a diverse, inclusive, and practice-ready workforce positioned to advance health equity and improve population health outcomes across the United States.