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Cost to Future Jobs

Attribution

Original work: "Educators' guide to multimodal learning and Generative AI" — Tünde Varga-Atkins, Samuel Saunders, et al. (2024/25) — CC BY-NC 4.0
Adapted for UK Nursing Education by: Lincoln Gombedza, RN (LD)
Last Updated: December 2025

The rise of AI raises important questions about the future of work, including nursing. While nursing is considered relatively AI-resistant due to its human-centered nature, understanding these implications is crucial for preparing students for their careers.

The AI and Employment Landscape​

Automation Potential

  • Routine, repetitive tasks most vulnerable to automation
  • Jobs requiring creativity, empathy, and complex judgment more secure
  • Hybrid roles combining human and AI capabilities emerging
  • Skill requirements shifting across all sectors

Job Displacement vs. Transformation

  • Some roles will be eliminated
  • Many will be transformed rather than replaced
  • New roles will emerge
  • Adaptability becomes essential

Nursing: A Unique Position​

Why Nursing is Different​

Human-Centered Care

  • Empathy and compassion can't be automated
  • Physical touch and presence are irreplaceable
  • Therapeutic relationships require human connection
  • Holistic assessment needs human judgment

Complex Decision-Making

  • Clinical situations are unpredictable and contextual
  • Ethical dilemmas require human wisdom
  • Patient advocacy needs human values
  • Professional accountability can't be delegated to AI

Practical Realities

  • Hands-on care requires physical presence
  • Patient safety depends on human oversight
  • Regulatory frameworks require human practitioners
  • Public trust in human caregivers

NHS Workforce Projections​

Continued Demand

  • Aging population increasing healthcare needs
  • Chronic disease management growing
  • Nursing shortage persists
  • Demand exceeds supply

Evolving Roles

  • Advanced practice nursing expanding
  • Specialist roles developing
  • Leadership positions growing
  • Community-based care increasing

Tasks at Risk vs. Tasks Enhanced​

Administrative Tasks (Higher Risk)​

Potentially Automated

  • Basic documentation and record-keeping
  • Appointment scheduling
  • Routine data entry
  • Standard report generation
  • Inventory management

Impact on Nursing

  • May free time for patient care
  • Could reduce administrative burden
  • Might eliminate some support roles
  • Efficiency gains possible

Clinical Tasks (AI-Enhanced, Not Replaced)​

AI as a Tool

  • Clinical decision support systems
  • Diagnostic assistance
  • Treatment recommendations
  • Risk prediction and early warning
  • Medication management support

Human Oversight Required

  • Final decisions remain with nurses
  • AI provides information, not judgment
  • Nurses interpret and contextualize
  • Professional accountability unchanged

Irreplaceable Nursing Tasks​

Core Nursing Functions

  • Physical assessment and examination
  • Administering treatments and medications
  • Providing comfort and emotional support
  • Patient and family education
  • Advocacy and ethical decision-making
  • Emergency response and critical thinking

Skills for the AI Era​

Technical Skills​

AI Literacy

  • Understanding AI capabilities and limitations
  • Evaluating AI-generated recommendations
  • Using clinical decision support systems
  • Interpreting AI outputs critically

Digital Competence

  • Electronic health records proficiency
  • Telehealth platforms
  • Remote monitoring technologies
  • Data analysis and interpretation

Human Skills (Increasingly Valuable)​

Emotional Intelligence

  • Empathy and compassion
  • Communication and active listening
  • Conflict resolution
  • Cultural sensitivity

Critical Thinking

  • Clinical reasoning
  • Problem-solving
  • Ethical decision-making
  • Systems thinking

Adaptability

  • Lifelong learning mindset
  • Flexibility in changing environments
  • Resilience and stress management
  • Innovation and creativity

Preparing Students for the Future​

Educational Priorities​

Balance Technology and Humanity

  • Teach AI literacy alongside clinical skills
  • Emphasize irreplaceable human qualities
  • Develop critical evaluation of technology
  • Foster ethical reasoning

Future-Ready Competencies

  • Complex problem-solving
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Creativity and innovation
  • Adaptability and learning agility

Career Development​

Diverse Pathways

  • Clinical specialization
  • Advanced practice roles
  • Leadership and management
  • Education and research
  • Health informatics
  • Policy and advocacy

Continuous Learning

  • Professional development throughout career
  • Staying current with technology
  • Developing new specializations
  • Building diverse skill sets

Economic Considerations​

Job Security Factors​

Nursing Advantages

  • Regulated profession with entry barriers
  • Essential service status
  • Strong professional bodies
  • Public trust and value

Potential Challenges

  • Healthcare funding pressures
  • Efficiency demands
  • Technology investment priorities
  • Changing care models

Wage Implications​

Possible Scenarios

  • Increased value for human skills
  • Wage premiums for AI-literate nurses
  • Potential wage pressure in routine tasks
  • Growing demand may support wages

Skill-Based Differentiation

  • Advanced skills command higher pay
  • Specialized knowledge valued
  • Leadership roles expanding
  • Technology expertise rewarded

Ethical Considerations​

Workforce Equity​

Access to Opportunities

  • Ensure all nurses can develop AI literacy
  • Avoid creating two-tier workforce
  • Support continuous professional development
  • Address digital divide

Job Displacement

  • Support for workers in changing roles
  • Retraining and reskilling programs
  • Fair transition processes
  • Social safety nets

Professional Responsibility​

Advocating for Patients

  • Ensure technology serves patient needs
  • Resist dehumanizing care
  • Maintain professional standards
  • Protect vulnerable populations

Shaping the Future

  • Nurses should influence AI development
  • Participate in policy discussions
  • Contribute to ethical frameworks
  • Lead human-centered innovation

Nursing-Specific Scenarios​

Likely Developments​

Enhanced Roles

  • AI-assisted diagnostics with nurse interpretation
  • Predictive analytics for patient deterioration
  • Automated monitoring with nurse oversight
  • Virtual nursing consultations

Emerging Opportunities

  • Clinical informatics specialists
  • AI implementation coordinators
  • Technology trainers and educators
  • Digital health innovators

Unchanged Core

  • Bedside nursing care
  • Patient advocacy
  • Holistic assessment
  • Therapeutic relationships

Unlikely Scenarios​

What AI Won't Replace

  • Registered nurses in acute care
  • Community nursing visits
  • Mental health nursing
  • Palliative and end-of-life care
  • Emergency and critical care nursing

Institutional Responsibilities​

Healthcare Organizations​

Workforce Planning

  • Anticipate technology impacts
  • Invest in staff development
  • Create new role opportunities
  • Support career transitions

Technology Implementation

  • Involve nurses in decisions
  • Provide adequate training
  • Ensure patient safety
  • Maintain care quality

Educational Institutions​

Curriculum Development

  • Integrate AI literacy
  • Emphasize human skills
  • Teach adaptability
  • Prepare for uncertainty

Career Guidance

  • Inform students about trends
  • Develop diverse competencies
  • Foster entrepreneurial thinking
  • Build resilience

Student Perspectives​

Managing Uncertainty​

Realistic Outlook

  • Nursing jobs will exist but may change
  • Technology is tool, not threat
  • Human skills increasingly valuable
  • Adaptability is key

Proactive Strategies

  • Develop broad skill set
  • Stay informed about trends
  • Build professional network
  • Embrace lifelong learning

Opportunities in Change​

Innovation Potential

  • Shape how AI is used in nursing
  • Create new care models
  • Lead technological integration
  • Improve patient outcomes

Career Flexibility

  • Multiple pathways available
  • Transferable skills valuable
  • Diverse opportunities emerging
  • Entrepreneurial possibilities

Policy and Advocacy​

Professional Bodies​

NMC and RCN Roles

  • Develop AI competency standards
  • Protect professional scope
  • Advocate for workforce needs
  • Guide ethical implementation

International Collaboration

  • Share best practices globally
  • Coordinate standards
  • Address common challenges
  • Learn from innovations

Government Policy​

Workforce Strategy

  • Plan for technology transitions
  • Fund education and training
  • Support innovation
  • Protect employment rights

Healthcare Investment

  • Balance technology and staffing
  • Ensure patient-centered care
  • Maintain quality standards
  • Support workforce development

Reflection Questions​

  1. Preparation: Are you developing skills that will remain valuable in an AI-enhanced healthcare system?
  2. Adaptability: How comfortable are you with ongoing change and learning?
  3. Values: What aspects of nursing are most important to you and why?
  4. Future: What role do you want to play in shaping AI's use in nursing?
  5. Advocacy: How can you contribute to ensuring AI enhances rather than diminishes nursing?

Next: Explore Practical Implications for implementing responsible AI use in nursing education.