The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Nursing Practice in Hospital Settings: A Philosophical and Professional Perspective

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming healthcare delivery, with increasing implications for nursing practice in hospital settings. This systematic review examines the impact of AI on nursing from both professional and philosophical perspectives, synthesizing empirical evidence and theoretical discourse published after 2020. A comprehensive search was conducted across Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Web of Science, and Dimensions using a predefined string focused on AI and nursing practice in acute care. Following PRISMA guidelines, 23 studies were included after screening 109 records. Findings indicate that AI enhances clinical decision-making through natural language processing and predictive analytics, improves diagnostic accuracy, particularly in validating nursing diagnoses such as chronic pain, and reduces nurse workload and burnout via intelligent documentation and personalized stress interventions. AI also supports nursing leaders in workforce management and patient safety monitoring. However, philosophical and ethical challenges persist, including threats to patient privacy, algorithmic bias, and the potential erosion of human connection and professional autonomy. Nurses express cautious optimism, advocating for ethical governance, transparency, and human-centered design. The review concludes that AI should serve as a supportive tool rather than a replacement, with integration guided by core nursing values such as empathy, advocacy, and care ethics. Nursing education, policy, and interprofessional collaboration must evolve to ensure responsible, equitable, and nurse-informed adoption of AI technologies.