Artificial intelligence (AI) integration in healthcare has become more prevalent through the advancements of ChatGPT, an OpenAI-developed AI language model based on deep learning that produces human-like text.
ChatGPT has many questioning its role in healthcare, specifically its use in nursing education.
So Daily Nurse spoke with Bei Wu, PhD, FGSA, FAAN (Honorary), Vice Dean for Research, Dean’s Professor in Global Health, New York University, Rory Meyers College of Nursing, and Xiang Qi, BSN, RN, PhD candidate at New York University, Rory Meyers College of Nursing about ChatGPT’s potential use in geriatric nursing education.
Bei Wu, PhD, FGSA, FAAN (Honorary), Vice Dean for Research, Dean’s Professor in Global Health, New York University, Rory Meyers College of Nursing, and Xiang Qi, BSN, RN, PhD candidate at New York University, Rory Meyers College of Nursing
What follows is our interview, edited for length and clarity.
How has AI integration become more prevalent with technological advancements in the healthcare field?
Xiang Qi: AI has become increasingly prevalent in the healthcare field due to several factors, including advancements in machine learning algorithms, increased computational power, and the availability of large datasets for training. These improvements have led to applications such as early disease detection, personalized medicine, patient monitoring, telehealth, and streamlining administrative tasks. For example, in geriatric nursing care, AI is used for monitoring patients with dementia, detecting falls, facilitating communication, and managing medications, enhancing the overall quality and efficiency of care for older adults.
Does ChatGPT provide students a convenient and accessible way to access information and practice their clinical skills?
Bei Wu: ChatGPT provides students a convenient and accessible way to access information and practice their clinical skills. As an AI language model, ChatGPT can offer instant feedback, answer questions, and engage in interactive conversations, making it a valuable resource for learning. However, it is important to note that ChatGPT should be used as a supplementary tool alongside traditional educational methods and guidance from qualified educators to ensure a comprehensive understanding of clinical skills and concepts.
Talk about the potential for ChatGPT-assisted learning in geriatric nursing education.
Xiang Qi: ChatGPT-assisted learning has significant potential in geriatric nursing education. Key benefits include accessibility, personalized learning, scenario-based learning, and continuous updates. For example, ChatGPT allows students to access information and resources 24/7, accommodating diverse schedules and learning needs.
ChatGPT can simulate patient interactions, enabling students to practice communication, decision-making, and critical thinking skills in realistic geriatric care situations. In addition, AI can tailor the learning experience based on individual students’ needs, strengths, and weaknesses, ensuring effective learning outcomes. Furthermore, ChatGPT can integrate the latest research and best practices in geriatric care, keeping students current with evolving knowledge. However, it’s crucial to combine ChatGPT-assisted learning with guidance from experienced instructors and hands-on training to ensure the development of well-rounded geriatric nursing professionals.
What are the potential misuses of ChatGPT in geriatric nursing education?
Xiang Qi: Potential misuses of ChatGPT in geriatric nursing education include students’ overreliance, misinformation, limitations in empathy, and inadequate preparation. For instance, students may become overly dependent on ChatGPT, neglecting the need for hands-on experience, critical thinking, and guidance from a qualified educator. For the problem of misinformation, while ChatGPT is a powerful tool, it may occasionally provide inaccurate or outdated information, which could negatively impact students’ learning. As an AI, ChatGPT lacks genuine empathy, essential in geriatric nursing. Overemphasis on AI-based learning may hinder students’ interpersonal skills and compassion development. Furthermore, ChatGPT is now not well prepared for geriatric nursing education. It cannot replicate all aspects of real-world geriatric care, so students might not be fully prepared for the complexity and challenges of actual clinical situations.
What are some of the potential limitations and fallacies in the use of ChatGPT?
Xiang Qi: Some potential limitations and fallacies in using ChatGPT include inaccurate information, ambiguity and context, verbose and overconfident answers, and dependence on user inputs. As noted in our article, ChatGPT may occasionally provide incorrect or outdated responses, as its knowledge is based on the data it was trained on and is limited to a specific cutoff date. We asked ChatGPT to provide literature on a particular topic, but all its outputs need to be more accurate, and all literature it provided is non-existent. ChatGPT may sometimes generate verbose responses or provide overly confident answers even when uncertain, which could mislead users. It should be mentioned that ChatGPT’s responses are guided by user input, which means that its effectiveness is partly dependent on the clarity and quality of the questions asked. ChatGPT may struggle with understanding ambiguous questions or context, potentially leading to irrelevant or unclear responses.
As AI continues to develop, will it replace educators in the future?
Bei Wu: While AI will likely play an increasingly significant role in education, it is unlikely to replace educators completely. Instead, AI will serve as a tool to complement and support our work. Faculty possess unique qualities, such as empathy, creativity, and adaptability, which are difficult for AI to replicate. The human element remains essential for fostering relationships, understanding individual needs, and providing tailored guidance. AI can, however, streamline administrative tasks, personalize learning experiences, and offer additional resources, allowing educators to focus on higher-level teaching and mentoring responsibilities.
If acquiring knowledge becomes increasingly accessible, what will the role of higher education become in an AI world?
Bei Wu: We may finally enter into an AI world. In an AI-driven world, higher education’s role will likely evolve to focus on skills development, interdisciplinary learning, ethical and social responsibility, and innovation. Higher education will emphasize the development of critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and emotional intelligence, which are difficult for AI to replicate and remain essential for professional success.
Higher education will encourage students to engage in interdisciplinary studies, fostering the ability to integrate knowledge from various fields and driving innovation and adaptability in a rapidly changing world. Furthermore, higher education will play a critical role in teaching students about ethical considerations, social responsibility, and the impact of AI on society, ensuring responsible AI development and application. By embracing these roles, higher education will maintain its relevance and importance in an AI-driven world, preparing students for a future that increasingly depends on human skills, adaptability, and ethical awareness.
What kind of education and training do we need to provide our students so they become highly qualified geriatric nursing professionals?
Bei Wu: Education should focus on theoretical knowledge, clinical skills, interprofessional collaboration, empathetic communication, ethical considerations, cultural competence, evidence-based practice, technological proficiency, and leadership development to train highly qualified geriatric nursing professionals.
I emphasize cultural competence and leadership development as we now see a more diverse world than ever. Educators must equip students with the knowledge and skills to provide culturally sensitive care and respect students from diverse backgrounds with different cultural beliefs and values towards older adults. We also need to foster leadership skills and encourage students to advocate for the needs of older adults, both within the healthcare system and in the broader society. By combining these elements, educational programs can prepare students to become competent, compassionate, and well-rounded geriatric nursing professionals.
Does this mean that training critical thinking, rather than delivering the content of the class materials, becomes more important than ever?
Bei Wu: Yes, training critical thinking becomes increasingly important as it enables students to effectively analyze, interpret, and apply the content of class materials. This skill empowers them to adapt to new information, solve complex problems, and make informed decisions in their professional practice, which is essential in the dynamic field of geriatric nursing.
How should we evaluate students’ competency in acquiring knowledge in the classroom? For example, should we start implementing traditional paper and pencil formats for exams?
Bei Wu: Evaluating students’ competency in acquiring knowledge should involve various assessment methods to capture the breadth and depth of their understanding. While traditional paper-and-pencil exams can help assess theoretical knowledge, it is also essential to consider alternative methods, such as practical exams, which assess students’ clinical skills and abilities through simulations or hands-on clinical experiences; group projects to evaluate teamwork, collaboration, and problem-solving skills in real-life scenarios or case studies; presentations that allow students to demonstrate their understanding and communication skills by presenting on specific topics; and portfolios to track students’ progress and achievements over time with a collection of their work, including research papers, clinical evaluations, and other relevant documents. Educators can better evaluate students’ competency across various aspects of their geriatric nursing education by implementing a mix of assessment methods.
While we are making concerted efforts to address health disparities and promote equity globally, do you see the advancement of technology further widening the digital divide across populations with various socio-demographic characteristics (e.g., age, socioeconomic status, and geographic locations)?
Bei Wu: Advancements in AI technology do have the potential to widen the digital divide across populations with different socio-demographic characteristics. Some of the challenges include affordability, infrastructure, and digital literacy. For example, lower-income populations may need help to afford devices, internet connections, or services required to access digital health resources. Rural or underdeveloped areas may need more infrastructure for reliable internet connectivity or access to advanced healthcare technologies. Older adults or those with limited education may need help understanding and utilizing digital technologies effectively.
However, government, healthcare providers, technology companies, and researchers should make concerted efforts to minimize these disparities and promote digital equity. For example, investing in infrastructure to improve internet connectivity and access to digital resources in underserved areas, providing financial assistance or subsidized devices and services for low-income populations, and implementing digital literacy programs to enhance digital skills and understanding across all age groups and backgrounds. By addressing these challenges, the advancement of technology can be harnessed to promote health equity and reduce disparities across diverse populations.
Anything else to add?
Bei Wu: ChatGPT can transform practice and research in geriatric nursing and allied health. Its capabilities in generating natural language text, synthesizing vast data, and responding to specific inquiries render it a valuable asset for healthcare professionals. As geriatric nursing progresses, staying current with cutting-edge tools and methodologies, including AI, becomes crucial for healthcare practitioners.
