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In this blog, Jake Shaw Nursing (Mental Health) Student from the University of Worcester and one of the #150Leaders AI could be changing nursing education by enhancing accessibility, learning tools, and practical skills for students. From streamlining patient interactions to providing personalised learning experiences, AI is shaping the future of healthcare education by equipping students with the skills and technologies they’ll encounter in practice.
Harnessing Artificial Intelligence in Nursing Education: The Future of Learning in the UK?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising nursing education, offering tools that enhance learning and accessibility. As a student mental health nurse in the UK, I’ve seen how AI-driven platforms transform how students interact with information. For instance, tools like Heidi AI streamline 1:1 patient meetings by generating consistent, template-based notes, freeing up time for longer, more person-centred interactions. Incorporating these tools into education familiarises students with technologies they will encounter in practice.
AI also makes learning more accessible through features like generating quizzes, flashcards, and transcribing lecture videos. These capabilities allow students to engage with material in formats that suit their needs, supporting diverse learning preferences and enabling more effective study. Additionally, AI tools now provide enhanced reliability. While early models faced criticism for fabricating information, today’s systems are far more accurate. Modern GPTs can search the internet, some exclusively access research databases, and project-specific tools allow for dedicated reference files and instructions, ensuring the AI remains task-focused and trustworthy.
Beyond accessibility, AI strengthens practical learning through tools like video chat simulations, enabling students to practise patient interactions in private. These simulations randomise case studies endlessly, helping students develop diagnostic skills and critical thinking in a realistic, low-pressure environment. When combined with traditional tools like mannequins, AI ensures a more comprehensive and confident preparation for real-world challenges.
As AI rapidly evolves, nursing education must embrace its potential responsibly. By integrating these tools now, educators can align learning with core nursing values of accessibility, reliability, and empathy. These innovations not only improve the student experience but also prepare future nurses to excel in a healthcare landscape increasingly shaped by technology.
I have found AI incredibly useful in simplifying legal and mental health legislative documents, making complex language easier to understand and apply in practice. By training AI with nursing and mental health guidelines, I’ve been able to ask it scenario-specific questions and get tailored responses. It has helped me improve my academic writing by generating ideas for essays and research questions, teaching me better writing techniques, and acting as a companion for analysing research papers—tools like Petal make the process of breaking down complex studies far more manageable. I also use AI to create structured presentations, refine care plans, and explore ways to explain complicated topics to individuals with learning disabilities. AI has given me creative ideas to make my practice more accessible for people with diverse needs, which is highly applicable to mental health nursing and healthcare in general. What many don’t realise is that AI has been a part of our lives for years—through Natural Language Processing (NLP) in search engines, virtual assistants, and transcription tools that many of us rely on daily. These tools are examples of AI in action, showing that it’s not new or threatening but rather an evolution of technologies we’ve already embraced. With AI now advancing to include internet search capabilities and integration into hardware, it’s transforming how I access and apply information, becoming an indispensable part of my studies and professional growth.
AI is revolutionising healthcare by enhancing diagnostics through machine learning and neural networks, improving early disease detection (Chowdhury, 2024; Beronius et al., 2022). It enables personalised treatments by integrating genetic and lifestyle data, advancing precision medicine (Rich & Winston, 2024; Isiaka et al., 2024). Additionally, AI streamlines hospital operations, reducing errors and improving efficiency (Chowdhury, 2024). However, universities’ cautious adoption of AI in education risks leaving future clinicians underprepared to leverage these tools effectively (Udegbe et al., 2024).
References:
Consensus (2024) Search – consensus: Ai Search Engine for Research, Consensus. Available at: https://consensus.app/search/ (Accessed: 18 December 2024).
DocsBot (2024) Free AI youtube video summarizer: No login: Instant summaries, DocsBot AI. Available at: https://docsbot.ai/tools/ai-youtube-summarizer (Accessed: 18 December 2024).
Francisca Chibugo Udegbe et al. (2024) ‘The role of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: A systematic review of applications and challenges’, International Medical Science Research Journal, 4(4), pp. 500–508. doi:10.51594/imsrj.v4i4.1052.
Heidi Health (2024) Heidi Health UK: Leading in AI Scribe Software for Healthcare, Heidi Health UK | Leading in AI Scribe Software for Healthcare. Available at: https://www.heidihealth.com/uk (Accessed: 18 December 2024).
Isiaka, S.O., Babatunde, R.S. and Isiaka, R.M. (2024) ‘Exploring artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in Predictive medicine: A systematic review’, Kasu Journal of Computer Science, 1(2), pp. 366–377. doi:10.47514/kjcs/2024.1.2.0014.
Jelah, T.N. (2024) if you see me talking to my computer it’s because I’m pretending it’s my patient., Instagram. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDgJlF8NVYP/?igsh=cmo4cWE2OG9zMjgy (Accessed: 18 December 2024).
JungleAI (2024) Create flashcards in seconds, not hours, Jungle. Available at: https://jungleai.com/ (Accessed: 18 December 2024).
Menaga, S. and Paruvathavardhini, J. (2022) ‘Ai in Healthcare’, Smart Systems for Industrial Applications, pp. 115–140. doi:10.1002/9781119762010.ch5.
OpenAI (2024) Using projects in chatgpt, OpenAI. Available at: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/10169521-using-projects-in-chatgpt (Accessed: 18 December 2024).
Parmar Shravan Kewalchand (2024) ‘Ai in Healthcare’, International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology, pp. 544–548. doi:10.48175/ijarsct-15285.
Petal (2024) Document analysis platform, Petal. Available at: https://www.petal.org/ (Accessed: 18 December 2024).
Rakibul Hasan Chowdhury (2024a) ‘Intelligent Systems for healthcare diagnostics and treatment’, World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 23(1), pp. 007–015. doi:10.30574/wjarr.2024.23.1.2015.
Rakibul Hasan Chowdhury (2024b) ‘Intelligent Systems for healthcare diagnostics and treatment’, World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 23(1), pp. 007–015. doi:10.30574/wjarr.2024.23.1.2015.
Slaughter, J.M. (2024) Change your life and spend time on WHAT MATTERS by using Cleo Health, Instagram. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBRg4QwxPh8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link (Accessed: 18 December 2024).
Zielewski (2024) The new ChatGPT can SEE 👀, TikTok. Available at: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.z_neurosurgery/video/7448404792780573982?_r=1&_t=8sH5c4auM7W (Accessed: 18 December 2024).
OpenAI (2024) Using projects in chatgpt, OpenAI. Available at: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/10169521-using-projects-in-chatgpt (Accessed: 18 December 2024).
Petal (2024) Document analysis platform, Petal. Available at: https://www.petal.org/ (Accessed: 18 December 2024).
Slaughter, J.M. (2024) Change your life and spend time on WHAT MATTERS by using Cleo Health, Instagram. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBRg4QwxPh8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link (Accessed: 18 December 2024).
Zielewski (2024) The new ChatGPT can SEE 👀, TikTok. Available at: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.z_neurosurgery/video/7448404792780573982?_r=1&_t=8sH5c4auM7W (Accessed: 18 December 2024).
Further Reading:
Unraveling the Ethical Enigma: Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare | Cureus
Artificial Intelligence for Mental Health and Mental Illnesses: an Overview – PubMed