Student nurses' attitudes, perceived utilization, and intention to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) technology in nursing practice: A cross-sectional study

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes and intentions of student nurses towards Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the context of nursing practice and to explore the relationship between their attitudes towards AI, their perceptions of AI utilization in nursing practice, and their intentions to adopt AI technology. The study hypothesized that perceived utilization of AI in nursing practice would positively influence the intention to use AI and that attitudes towards AI would mediate this relationship.Background: AI has the potential to revolutionize various aspects of healthcare, including nursing practice. As AI technology continues to advance, it becomes increasingly important for nurse education to prepare student nurses to leverage AI technology and be willing to adopt it in their nursing practice.Design: Cross-sectional design.Methods: A total of 200 student nurses from two government-owned nursing schools participated in the study. Mediation testing was performed using Hayes' PROCESS macro in SPSS (Model 4).Results: Perceived AI utilization in nursing practice had a significant positive effect on student nurses' attitudes towards AI (8 = 0.450, p < 0.001) and their intention to adopt AI technology (8 = 0.458, p < 0.001). Attitudes towards AI partially mediated the relationship between perceived AI utilization in nursing practice and the intention to adopt AI technology (8 = 0.255).Conclusion: The findings suggest that student nurses had favorable perceptions of AI utilization in nursing practice, expressed high intentions to adopt AI technology, and held positive attitudes towards AI. Furthermore, student nurses' perceptions of AI utilization in nursing practice influenced their attitudes towards AI, which, in turn, affected their intentions to adopt AI technology. Nursing education programs should incorporate AI-focused coursework, training, and experiential learning to further enhance students' readiness and proficiency in uti-lizing AI technology. Additionally, healthcare institutions should consider creating a supportive environment for nursing students to explore and embrace AI, ultimately preparing them for the evolving landscape of AI-enhanced healthcare practice.Tweetable abstract: Student nurses' attitudes towards AI technology were influenced by their perceptions of AI utilization in nursing practice, which subsequently influenced their intentions to adopt AI technology.