Nurses' Experiences Using AI in Clinical Practice: Systematic Review.

Authors

Ashley J S Scott, Qimeng Zhao, Jo-Fan Pan, Benjamin C Brown, Dawn Dowding

Published in

JMIR nursing. Volume 9. Pages e91238. Jun 25, 2026. Epub Jun 25, 2026.

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are increasingly used in clinical settings, yet most syntheses focus on nurses' attitudes or readiness rather than experiences after direct use in practice.
This study aimed to synthesize registered nurses' experiences of using AI in clinical practice and to identify perceived benefits, barriers, and implementation implications.
We conducted a systematic literature review of empirical studies reporting nurses' experiences of AI use in clinical settings. Searches were performed in CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and PubMed (last search: September 13, 2023). Moreover, 2 reviewers (AJSS and QZ) independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts and appraised included studies using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. We used thematic synthesis with a primarily deductive framework based on the Technology Acceptance Model 2, with the addition of facilitating conditions from the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology.
In total, 20 studies met the inclusion criteria. Perceived usefulness and facilitating conditions were most frequently reported; nurses described AI as supporting decision-making, workflow efficiency, and confidence when implementation included adequate training, interoperability, and technical infrastructure. Ease of use was closely tied to interface design and training. Job relevance and output quality were rated more positively when nurses described AI as aligning with nursing tasks and as producing interpretable, reliable outputs. Common barriers included usability issues, limited integration into workflows and electronic systems, privacy and trust concerns, and inconsistent or poorly contextualized outputs. Across studies, nurses often described adoption as conditional on organizational readiness and meaningful involvement of nurses in design and implementation.
Nurses' accounts suggest that AI may augment clinical work, but the perceived benefits reported in the included literature were contingent on workflow alignment, usable interfaces, training, and supportive infrastructure. These findings suggest potential value in involving nurses in the co-design and iterative refinement of AI tools, grounded in the consistent evidence that facilitating conditions, such as training, interoperability, and organizational readiness, are the primary determinants of whether AI is experienced positively. Prospective evaluation using nursing-relevant outcomes, such as usability, workflow integration, and trust, is needed to move beyond post hoc experiential accounts and establish what implementation conditions reliably produce benefit.

PMID:
42347840
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 25 Jun 2026.

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