NURSING STUDENTS' ATTITUDES REGARDING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: EXPLORING BENEFITS, RISKS AND BARRIERS

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) stands as a transformative technological advancement shaping contemporary society. This study aimed to assess nursing students' attitudes regarding artificial intelligence: exploring benefits, risks and barriers. A descriptive exploratory design was employed, involving 367 undergraduate nursing students selected randomly from Zagazig University's Faculty of Nursing. Data were collected using two tools: A self-administered questionnaire on demographic characteristics, AI knowledge, and the General Attitudes toward Artificial Intelligence scale. Results showed that nursing students demonstrated knowledge regarding the benefits (68.12%), risks (51.50%), and barriers (53.95%) of using AI, with an overall satisfactory knowledge level of 56.95%. Additionally, 68.39% of students exhibited positive attitudes towards AI. The study concluded that more than half of the nursing students had a satisfactory level of knowledge about AI, and more than two-thirds exhibited positive attitudes towards AI. Additionally, a positive correlation was found between the students' knowledge of AI and their attitudes towards it. Recommendations include developing educational programs to enhance AI understanding among nursing students and integrating AI into nursing practice curriculum.