To build trust in AI, involve nurses early, leaders say

As AI-powered platforms enter healthcare, industry leaders told Becker's that involving nurses early in AI implementation discussions can help alleviate concerns and build trust.

Some nurses are creating AI-powered healthcare solutions and nursing schools are implementing AI into their programs, but many front-line nurses are hesitant about the technology's role in patient care. 

On Jan. 16, thousands of members of National Nurses United will march nationwide to demand the safe implementation of AI. The union, which has about 225,000 members, noted a 2024 survey that showed 60% of registered nurses disagreed with the statement, "I trust my employer will implement A.I. with patient safety as the first priority."

Another survey, which polled 837 registered nurses in August and September, revealed that only about a third of nurses trust AI in healthcare settings. Fifty-six percent of respondents reported little to no trust in AI-enabled tools for administrative tasks, while 59% expressed little or no trust in AI tech for clinical decision support. 

Amid this distrust, some hospital nurses have also voiced concerns about the rapid adoption of AI. 

In April, nurses at Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente staged a demonstration advocating for involvement in "every step" of the decision-making process surrounding AI and other data-driven technologies in healthcare. In October, nurses at 17 hospitals owned by Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare ratified contracts ensuring they have a voice in implementing new technology, including those powered by AI. 

At the same time, a March survey from the American Nurses Foundation and McKinsey found that a majority of more than 4,000 nurses desire the use of AI in their work and are hopeful that AI will improve care quality. 

To achieve buy-in and trust, it is critical to include nurses and other stakeholders in discussions about AI use in healthcare, according to executives at Orlando (Fla.) Health, Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the American Nurses Enterprise. 

Several hospitals and systems have established AI committees with nurse informaticists, said Oriana Beaudet, DNP, RN, vice president of innovation at the American Nurses Enterprise. 

Darius Love, DNP, RN, Orlando Health's assistant vice president of workforce optimization and redesign, said organizations should create an interdisciplinary team of front-line nurses, informaticists, leaders, IT staff, and regulatory and compliance employees. This collaboration fosters "energy," "synergy" and a "smooth cadence" of innovation, he said. 

Orlando Health is currently piloting ambient documentation in its virtual nursing program and is engaging nurses throughout the process.

"So our stance has really been: What you do for me, you do to me," Dr. Love told Becker's. "So it's imperative that we include them. And I believe that when it comes to workforce stability and things of that nature, our team members' feedback is a gift."

Julia Mason, DNP, RN, chief nursing officer and senior vice president of patient care services at Brigham and Women's Hospital, echoed Dr. Love's comments. Since starting her nursing career more than 34 years ago, Dr. Mason described herself as having begun as a "paper and pencil person."

While Brigham and Women's does not currently have AI pilots specific to nursing, the Mass General Brigham system has an AI governance committee to pursue evidence-based opportunities, Dr. Mason said. The committee works to ensure the patient is at the center of everything and that AI does not replace clinical decision-making. 

Her top recommendations for other healthcare leaders include being cautious, conducting thorough research, involving an interdisciplinary AI team with nurses, and including patients and their families in AI rollout projects.

This strategy might be slower than some people want, Dr. Mason said, but it is crucial to be deliberate and gather clinicians' feedback. 

Dr. Love also emphasized the importance of transparency and collaboration. 

"I think that for good reason healthcare workers are, I want to say, cautious. And I think that that is perfectly fine. I'd be concerned if we were not," he said. "And thus, as leaders, I think it's our job to really paint the picture, explain the why and, again, inspire our front-line teams, leaders and team members at every level to really journey in and really be a partner in how we reimagine care."

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