A Qualitative Study on the Willingness and Application Demands of Clinical Nurses in the use of Large Language Models

Background: This study aims to investigate the willingness of clinical nurses to adopt large language models (LLMs) and their specific application requirements. The findings are intended to provide a scientific basis for promoting the rational integration of LLMs into nursing practice and improving the efficiency of clinical nursing work. Methods: A descriptive qualitative research design was adopted. Using the maximum variation purposive sampling method, clinical nurses from multiple Class-A tertiary hospitals were recruited as participants in Hohhot City, Inner Mongolia between June and August 2025. Semi-structured interviews were conducted offline. After transcribing the interview recordings, an in-depth data analysis was performed using Colaizzi's seven-step approach. Results: A total of 16 participants were included in the study. Four main themes and twelve sub-themes emerged: Cognition and Acceptance (Clinical nurses generally have limited understanding of LLMs; most hold positive attitudes toward their potential use, while a minority express skepticism); Application Scenario Requirements (Including nursing education, routine care and repetitive tasks, nursing information collection and system integration, and nursing research); Learning and Training Willingness and Needs (Participants demonstrated varying levels of interest in learning about LLMs and differing training needs); Concerns and Barriers (Technical limitations of LLMs, concerns from the perspective of clinical nurses, and patient-related apprehensions were identified). Conclusion: Clinical nurses exhibit both interest in and reservations about the application of LLMs. Future efforts should focus on enhancing the technical safety and reliability of LLMs, developing functional modules tailored to nursing practice, and implementing targeted, stratified training programs. These measures will increase the acceptance and utilization of LLMs among clinical nurses, ultimately contributing to improved nursing efficiency and quality.