Artificial Intelligence in Pediatric Oncology Care: Pediatric Nurses' Perspectives and Future Implications

This study aimed to explore pediatric oncology nurses' perspectives on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into pediatric oncology care, focusing on its potential advantages, implementation challenges, and ethical considerations.

A hermeneutically informed descriptive phenomenological qualitative design was employed. One-to-one, semistructured interviews were conducted with 18 pediatric oncology nurses between April and June 2025. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically in MAXQDA using Braun and Clarke's six-phase framework (2006). Reporting followed the COREQ checklist.

Participants' mean age was 36.8 ± 6.9 years, and most had >10 years of professional experience. Thematic analysis identified five main themes with related subthemes: (1) the potential of AI in pediatric oncology care; (2) implementation challenges and concerns; (3) nurse-AI collaboration; (4) ethical considerations; and (5) competence and training needs. Nurses highlighted AI's potential to accelerate diagnostic/treatment processes, reduce error, and enhance patient safety, while also noting barriers related to infrastructure, ethics, and professional skills.

Pediatric oncology nurses perceived AI as a valuable tool to support clinical decision-making, improve patient safety, and increase care efficiency; however, ethical concerns, infrastructural limitations, and insufficient training constrain effective integration.

Strengthening technological competencies, ensuring ethical safeguards, and providing continuous training are essential for successful AI integration. Combining clinical expertise with AI competence may promote safer, more effective pediatric oncology care.