Algorithmic Compassion in Holistic Nursing: A Concept Analysis and Conceptual Model

Purpose of StudyTo clarify algorithmic compassion as a nursing-relevant concept and examine its implications for holistic nursing.Design of studyWalker and Avant concept analysis with conceptual model development.MethodA structured literature search was conducted across nursing, biomedical, psychological, interdisciplinary, and technology-focused databases. Twenty-nine sources were retained because they directly supported concept use, defining attributes, antecedents, consequences, empirical referents, or case construction.FindingsAlgorithmic compassion was defined as an artificial intelligence (AI)-mediated caring interaction in which an algorithmic system interprets affective and distress cues, generates a simulated empathic response, adapts to the person's context, and supports comfort, coping, connection, and therapeutic engagement while remaining ethically bounded by human judgment, dignity, consent, privacy, authenticity, and professional responsibility. Seven defining attributes were identified: AI-mediated caring interface, affective interpretation, simulated empathic response, relational presence, person-responsive adaptation, therapeutic support purpose, and ethically bounded adjunctive role. Antecedents included care-related support need, AI-enabled relational capacity, person-responsive design, user access and consent, and ethical governance. Consequences included comfort, coping, connection, reduced distress or loneliness, therapeutic engagement, and ethical boundary-setting.ConclusionsAlgorithmic compassion names a supervised, ethically bounded AI-mediated interaction that may support selected compassion-related functions while preserving human nursing presence, professional judgment, and whole-person care without assigning consciousness, moral agency, or authentic compassion to technology.