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AI in Nursing Education: A Multimodal Learning Toolkit

👋 Welcome

I'm Lincoln Gombedza, RN (LD). This toolkit is designed to help UK nursing educators harness the potential of Generative AI while maintaining the rigorous standards our profession demands.

🌟 About This Toolkit​

This resource is a practical bridge between pedagogical theory and nursing practice.

  • Built on Research: Instead of reinventing the wheel, we've adapted the foundational "Educators' guide to multimodal learning and Generative AI" (Varga-Atkins et al., 2024/25)1.
  • Living Content: Unlike a static PDF or handbook, this toolkit is a living resource. It is updated in real-time as AI models evolve and new NMC standards emerge.
  • Contextualised for Nursing: Integrating NMC standards, clinical examples, and person-centred care principles.
  • For Educators: Written for nurse academics, practice facilitators, and clinical educators.
🙏 Acknowledgments & Pioneers

This work stands on the shoulders of giants. A heartfelt thank you to:

Academic Foundation

  • Dr Tünde Varga-Atkins (University of Liverpool) — For the foundational research guide.

Mentors & Champions

  • Aisha Holloway (CNO Scotland) — For inspiring excellence.
  • Prof. Gemma Stacey — For inspiring excellence.
  • Josie Rudman MBE — For supporting nurse-led innovation.
  • Dr Clare Cable — For supporting nurse-led innovation.
  • Janet Michel — For championing global nursing.
  • Prof. Joanne Bosanquet — For championing person-centred nursing.

The "Nurse Citizen Developers"

  • Kumbi Kariwo — Champion of AI equity and bias mitigation.
  • Mutsa Chitate — An inspiration in person-centred care.
  • Hector Musonza — Innovator in education and practice.
  • Rohit Sagoo — Innovator in education and practice.
  • Dr Hellena Habte-Asres — Innovator in education and practice.
  • Kelly Thobekile Ncube — Innovator in education and practice.

🩺 Our Nursing Position on Generative AI​

We align with the ICN, NMC, and RCN: AI is a tool to augment, not replace, nursing judgement.

The "Middle Way" Approach​

We reject both uncritical hype and complete rejection. Instead, we advocate for Critical AI Fluency:

5 Core Principles​

PrincipleWhy It Matters
1. Lead, Don't FollowNurses must be "digital health experts" who shape the tools we use (ICN, 2024).
2. Augment, Don't ReplaceAI cannot replace empathy, touch, or therapeutic relationships (RCN, 2025).
3. Accountability is OursYou remain professional accountable for all decisions, even AI-assisted ones (ANA, 2025).
4. Ethical VigilanceWe must rigorously check for bias (e.g., skin tone bias in wound care).
5. Education Before RegulationDigital literacy is already an NMC requirement. We can't wait for the 2027 Code update.

🎨 Why "Multimodal" Learning?​

Nursing is inherently multimodal. We don't just "read" patients; we observe, listen, touch, and sense. Our teaching should reflect this using AI to create rich, diverse learning materials.

Examples in Nursing:​

  • 📸 Visual: AI-generated diagrams of pathophysiology.
  • 🎧 Auditory: Simulated patient voiceovers for history taking.
  • 🎭 Simulation: Text-based roleplay scenarios for communication skills.
  • 📊 Data: Interpreting AI-generated public health datasets.

🧭 Toolkit Navigation​

Where should you start?

If you are...Go to...
New to AIWhat is Generative AI? for the basics.
Worried about EthicsResponsible Use for policy and safety.
Planning a ModuleTeaching with AI for lesson plans.
Looking for ExamplesCase Studies for ready-to-use prompts.
A Strategic LeaderInstitutional Framework for governance.

"We do not believe that discussing AI means uncritically endorsing it. Rather, we believe that ignoring AI does students a disservice. Future nurses will work in AI-augmented healthcare systems. Our responsibility is to prepare them."

References​

Footnotes​

  1. Varga-Atkins, T., Saunders, S., et al. (2024/25). Educators' guide to multimodal learning and Generative AI. SEDA Small Grants project. Available under CC BY-NC 4.0 licence. ↩