🎨 Creating Visual Content with GenAI
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
Educators can use Generative AI to create rich visual content that enhances nursing education across multiple contexts—from academic posters and presentations to interactive learning materials and clinical demonstrations.
🖌️ What You Can Create
1. Teaching Materials
- 📊 Diagrams: Care pathways & flowcharts.
- 🖼️ Icons: Consistency for slide decks.
- 🎨 Metaphors: Visualising "Holistic Care".
2. Infographics
- 📝 Text Rendering: Modern models (DALL-E 3) can spell text correctly.
- 🏥 Posters: Sepsis Six protocols or hand hygiene steps.
3. Localisation
- 🌍 Translation: Translate text within an image (e.g., a FAST stroke poster into Spanish) while keeping the layout.
4. Explainers
- 🎥 Video: Turn a script into an animated explainer.
- 🗣️ Narration: Add AI voiceovers to slides.
💡 Prompt Library: Nursing Examples
Copy these prompts to start creating immediately.
🫀 Anatomy Diagrams (Year 1)
"Create a detailed cross-sectional diagram of the human heart showing the four chambers, major blood vessels, and direction of blood flow. Use medical illustration style with clear labels. Suitable for Year 1 nursing students."
🦠 Infection Control Flowchart
"Create a visual flowchart showing the chain of infection: infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, means of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host. Include examples at each stage. Use NHS colour scheme (Blue/White)."
💊 Medication Icons
"Create a set of simple, clear icons representing the 5 Rights of medication administration (Right patient, Right drug, Right dose, Right route, Right time). Minimalist style, suitable for infographic use."
🤝 Person-Centred Care Metaphor
"Create a visual metaphor representing person-centred care in nursing. Show a patient at the centre surrounded by healthcare professionals, family, and various aspects of holistic care. Watercolour illustration style, warm and compassionate tone."
🛠️ Tool Selection Matrix
Which tool is best for your specific visual need?
| Capability | 🏆 Best Tool | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Photorealistic Images | Midjourney v6 | Highest artistic quality and realism. |
| Diagrams with Text | DALL-E 3 (ChatGPT) | Excellent at spelling words correctly within images. |
| Logic Flowcharts | Mermaid (via ChatGPT) | Generates editable code for diagrams, not just pixels. |
| Video Explainers | Synthesia / HeyGen | Create AI avatars to narrate your scripts. |
| Slide Decks | Gamma | Generates full PowerPoint decks with layout and images. |
✅ Best Practices Checklist
DO:
- ✅ Verify Anatomy: AI often gets number of fingers or heart chambers wrong. Check against a textbook.
- ✅ Check Text: Ensure any text inside the image is spelled correctly (AI struggles with this).
- ✅ Disclose: Label images as "AI Generated" for transparency.
DON'T:
- ❌ No Patient Data: Never upload real patient photos to edit.
- ❌ Avoid Stereotypes: Ask for "diverse healthcare team" to avoid all-female nurse depictions.
📝 Activity: Create Your First Visual
- Choose: A concept (e.g., "The Nursing Process").
- Prompt: Describe it ("Circular flow, 4 stages, professional style").
- Generate: Use DALL-E 3 or Bing Image Creator.
- Critique: Is the text legible? Is the anatomy correct?
- Refine: "Regenerate, but make the text larger."
Next: Explore Teaching Delivery to learn how to integrate these visuals into lectures!