The role of artificial intelligence in shaping nursing education: A comprehensive systematic review

AIM: This systematic review assesses AI's application, effectiveness and impact on nursing education, while identifying research limitations. BACKGROUND: AI integration in nursing education is transforming traditional teaching and learning paradigms. DESIGN: A systematic review. METHODS: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library and CINAHL from the inception of the databases to November 1, 2024, focusing on "Artificial Intelligence" and "nursing education." Two reviewers independently screened and assessed the literature. The quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 (RoB-2) tool for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) tools evaluation for observational studies and the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for quasi-experimental studies. RESULTS: Fifteen studies involving 1464 nursing students and professionals were included. The application scenarios of AI technology in nursing education are diverse and varied and it has shown significant potential in many areas of nursing education, but conflicting results have also been observed. Evaluation of literature quality showed that there were seven high-quality studies and eight medium-quality studies. Artificial intelligence was found to have a positive impact on students at three levels: learning attitude and psychological effects, learning effectiveness and comprehensive clinical nursing competencies. Key research gaps were identified, including the lack of longitudinal studies, uneven study populations and the lack of measurement instrument validity and objectivity. CONCLUSION: AI positively impacts nursing education but requires further research to address gaps and ensure long-term effectiveness and privacy protection. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO ID: CRD42024562849.