Determination of the General Attitude to and Anxiety About Artificial Intelligence of Nurses Working in Internal Medicine Clinics: A Mixed-Method Study

To determine the concerns and general attitudes to artificial intelligence (AI) of nurses working in Internal Medicine clinics in Türkiye.

In parallel with developments in technology in all areas, AI is actively used in the healthcare sector in the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients, with algorithms based on the analysis of medical data.

The study was conducted between January 1, 2025, and May 15, 2025, using a mixed-method model of nested design (descriptive relationship-seeking and qualitative research) in a high-capacity tertiary care university hospital in the southern region of Türkiye. The data were collected using a Descriptive Information Form, the General Attitudes to Artificial Intelligence Scale, the Artificial Intelligence Anxiety Scale, and a semi-structured interview form. In the examination of causality between the quantitative scales in the data analyses, structural equation modeling was used, and in the analysis of the qualitative data, AI-supported Max Qualitative Data Analysis (MAXQDA) was used. STROBE was used in the reporting.

Quantitative findings revealed a moderate level of positive attitude, negative attitude, and AI anxiety. A significant weak negative correlation was found between positive attitude and AI anxiety, while a moderate positive correlation emerged between negative attitude and anxiety. Qualitative analysis identified three primary themes influencing these attitudes: ethical violation (subthemes: first do no harm and confidentiality of information/privacy), holistic care (empathy, trust, and emotion), and quality and patient satisfaction (medical error, missed nursing care, and satisfaction).

Adopting AI fosters positive attitudes and alleviates concerns about its use.

The study results showed that the levels of positive attitude and negative attitude to AI, and concerns of the nurses about the use of AI, were slightly above average. In the context of the use of AI in nursing services, it was seen that ethical neglect, holistic care, quality, and patient satisfaction affected the attitudes to AI and anxiety of nurses.

AI technologies can reduce the workload of nurses if they are integrated into healthcare policies under state control, ensuring high reliability of software and hardware. They can also help as a reminder by serving as a decision support component, can facilitate the complex nursing process, and increase the time that the nurse can spend with the patient. Thus, the success of the institution will be positively affected by increased quality of care in the delivery of healthcare services, the prevention of malpractice, and increased patient safety and satisfaction.