Artificial intelligence (AI) has shown the potential to transform healthcare in multiple ways never achieved before— from improving early diagnostics to patient treatment and monitoring.
Since the inception of robotics, advanced machine learning, and Large Language Models (LLMs) in the healthcare sector a few years ago, AI has become a major driving force in healthcare workflow automation. But could it replace nurses? This has been a major concern as a boom in AI applications takes healthcare by storm.
Despite the exponential increase in AI integration into many healthcare systems and the ongoing use of generative AI based on Large Language models (LLMs) to provide tailored responses to health-related queries, health experts have resoundingly affirmed that AI cannot replace nurses. It can only make their work by improving efficiency.
Human Touch in Healthcare is Irreplaceable
According to health researchers, nurses are the backbone of the modern healthcare system. They make a world of difference in the lives of patients and the community at large. As such, their role cannot be fully replaced by AI or robots.
While AI can help automate routine tasks and enhance accuracy and efficiency, it lacks qualities such as compassion, empathy, communication, teamwork and relationship building, which makes them vital in healthcare. After all, no one would trust a robot as much as they can trust human caregivers.
“A Nurse plays a pivotal role in any health care system. Without which effective coordination and collaboration seem dreadful,” research published in Liaquat National Journal of Primary Care affirms.
“They would bridge the gap between health care practitioners and patients. Thus, they work as the backbone for any Health care system.”
Where AI Works Best
Collaboration between AI and nurses is critical in improving the quality of care. Since AI excels at data analysis and automation, AI-powered wearables and health systems are instrumental in monitoring vital signs and medical schedules. By automating repetitive tasks, it allows nurses more time to focus on complex tasks that require a human touch.
Even so, AI cannot directly replace the human aspect of nursing, which entails critical thinking, common sense, and constantly adapting services according to individual’s needs. For instance, AI cannot emulate the human qualities needed to assess a patient’s experience of anxiety or pain.
According to Dr Sarah Jones, a healthcare researcher at the North Carolina Department of Commerce, nurses offer much more than just handling patients’ needs.
They can understand emotional cues, communicate effectively, hold conversations, and build trust with those they provide care to, making them compassionate companions that bridge the gap between patients and doctors. That’s something AI cannot do, despite its ability to learn and adapt.
Ethical Obligations
Nurses often face ethical dilemmas that require moral judgment, critical thinking, and compassion. For instance, they have to make decisions about end-of-life care, informed consent, and patient autonomy. All these complex considerations require more than just algorithms and data.
While AI can assist in providing information and suggestions based on data, it cannot be entrusted to make ethical decisions, with indicial values and patient preferences into account. To be precise, AI lacks the emotional intelligence and moral framework required for sensitive and personal interactions.
Therefore, AI will continue to transform healthcare by simplifying work for healthcare professionals, including nurses, but it lacks the human potential to replace them.