What nurse leaders need to consider when confronting AI

"A top nurse and VP of digital health at Penn Medicine offers a wide-ranging look at how nurse leaders must help purchase, implement, use and refine ever more complex artificial intelligence tools.

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence means computer systems are now capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision making and translation between languages.

But what do those capabilities mean for nurses? How should they approach AI in clinical practice? Should they have a voice in the selection and purchase of AI systems? How might they encourage fellow nurses who may have fears about AI? What other challenges does AI present for nurse leaders, and how can they overcome them?

Anna E. Schoenbaum, DNP, RN-BC, is a registered nurse and vice president of applications and digital health at Penn Medicine/University of Pennsylvania Health System. She oversees enterprise EHR and clinical systems, clinical imaging, predictive health, medical decision support, digital applications and training/education.

Healthcare IT News sat down with her to get answers to these and other questions.

Q. From your vantage point, what do nurse leaders think about when they hear the words artificial intelligence? Are there fears?

A. Nurse leaders, alongside other healthcare leaders, hold diverse perspectives on AI. Many recognize its transformative potential in healthcare, including benefits such as improved disease management, more efficient patient monitoring, precision healthcare plans, the mitigation of medical errors, and enhancing the patient experience.

However, these prospects are accompanied by genuine concerns and fears.

Nurse leaders are acutely aware of critical issues like data security, patient privacy, ethical considerations and the potential impact of AI on the nursing practice. Their perspective often emphasizes the need for a balanced approach, harnessing AI's advantages while addressing these apprehensions..." Lire la suite