Attitudes of psychiatric nurses towards the integration of artificial intelligence applications to clinical care: a qualitative study in China

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The application of artificial intelligence in mental health faces unique challenges. Psychiatric nurses provide direct care to patients with mental illness, and their attitudes toward artificial intelligence will directly impact the effectiveness of related technologies in clinical practice.This study aims to explore psychiatric nurses' attitudes toward artificial intelligence applications, identify their needs and expectations, and assess their awareness of potential risks and challenges. METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study employed semi-structured in-depth interviews with 15 psychiatric nurses (each with at least two years of clinical experience) recruited from Henan Mental Health Center. Interview transcripts were coded independently by two researchers and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis with NVivo 12.0; any coding discrepancies were resolved through consensus. RESULTS: Thematic analysis revealed three core themes: Core needs and expectations, Key risks and challenges, and Implementation pathways and policy aspirations. For example, nurses anticipated that AI could alleviate their workload and improve patient safety, but they also voiced concerns about data privacy and the preservation of humanistic care. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatric nurses generally adopt a positive yet cautious stance toward clinical artificial intelligence applications. While they anticipate artificial intelligence to enhance nursing efficiency and patient safety, significant concerns exist regarding ethical issues, compromised humanistic care, and professional role displacement triggered by artificial intelligence.

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