Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Nursing Care: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Aim. To synthesise the available evidence on the applicability of artificial intelligence in nursing care. Background. Artificial intelligence involves the replication of human cognitive abilities in machines, allowing to perform tasks that conventionally necessitate human cognition. However, its application in health sciences is a recent one, and its use is currently limited to supporting the diagnosis and prognosis of hospitalised patients, among others. Evaluation. A systematic review was conducted in the PubMed-Medline, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Nursing & Allied Health databases until September 2022, following the PRISMA guidelines. Key Issues. A total of 21 articles were selected for the review. The different applications of artificial intelligence in nursing identified comprised (i) advances in early disease detection and clinical decision making; (ii) artificial intelligence-based support systems in nursing for patient monitoring and workflow optimisation; and (iii) artificial intelligence insights for nursing training and education. Conclusion. Artificial intelligence-based systems demonstrated increased autonomy of patients and professionals in care processes such as wound management through guided instructions, improved workflows, and efficiency in terms of time, materials, and human resources. Implications for Nursing Management. Artificial intelligence applied to nursing practice can be a very useful resource for professionals, managers, and supervisors. It has the potential to change current working flow systems and may serve as a down-to-earth resource to support nursing professionals in their decision-making process that ensures high quality and patient safety care.