Attitudes of Psychiatric Nurses Towards Artificial Intelligence Applications: A Qualitative Study from China

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. Purpose 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 A semi-structured interview approach under qualitative research methodology was employed. Fifteen psychiatric nurses with over two years of clinical experience were recruited from Henan Mental Health Center. Interview data were coded and analyzed using thematic analysis via NVivo 12.0 software. Results Thematic analysis revealed three core themes: Core needs and expectations of psychiatric nurses regarding artificial intelligence; Key perceived risks and challenges of artificial intelligence adoption; Implementation pathways and policy imperatives. 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.