Initiative continues to examine the ethics of AI in nursing

The steering committee for the School of Nursing-led initiative to examine the ethical implications of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in nursing continues to have thriving discussions and move this important work forward.

The school launched the initiative last year to develop a framework for the future use of AI in nursing. The steering committee is taking an ethics-first rather than technology-first lens in its work. Committee members are focused on recognizing the high ethical standards to which nurses adhere and systematically evaluating how AI can both support nurses in upholding those ethical standards or interfere with or threaten nurses’ abilities to uphold those ethical standards.

The American Nurses Association details nine provisions within its Code of Ethics for Nurses, ranging from “the nurse practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person” to “the nurse has authority, accountability, and responsibility for nursing practice, makes decisions; and takes action consistent with the obligation to promote health and to provide optimal care.”

AI has the potential to support or interfere with these ethical provisions. For example, if thoughtfully designed, AI could reduce documentation burden, freeing up more time for nurses to build patient relationships, or AI could aid nurses in developing individualized plans of care based on unique characteristics and preferences of patients and families.

If not thoughtfully designed, AI may replace human empathy and compassionate care with calculated decisions, reducing patients’ trust in nurse decision making and put the nurse-patient relationship at risk. 

This committee’s ethics-first lens is providing a systematic way to better ensure AI positively impacts nursing care.

Steering Committee members include:

Connie White Delaney, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI, FNAP, professor and dean of the University of Minnesota School of Nursing;

Jenna Marquard, PhD, professor at the University of Minnesota and co-chair

Martin Michalowski, PhD, FAMIA, associate professor at the University of Minnesota and co-chair

Constantin Aliferis, MD, PhD, MS, FACMI, director of the Institute for Health Informatics;

Kathy Chappell, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN, senior vice president of Accreditation, Certification, Measurement, Quality and Research, American Nurses Credentialing Center;

Pamela Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, president of the International Council of Nurses;

Tracee M. Coleman, MS, RN-BC, CPHIMS, Clinical Informatics Consultant, Optum Health;

Peter Klein, BA, CEO and founder of Educated Change;

Joyce Sensmeier, MS, RN-BC, CPHIMS, FAAN, senior advisor of informatics for HIMSS;

Bill Torvund, Quantum Futurist;

Martha Turner, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN, historian & code scholar, American Nurses Association Code of Ethics for Nurse;

Ian Wolfe, PhD, MA, RN, HEC-C, clinical ethicist, Children's Minnesota;

Olga Yakusheva, PhD, MSE, economist and a Professor of Nursing and Public Health at the University of Michigan.