The relationship between first-year nursing students' innovation skills and attitudes toward artificial intelligence: A multicentre study

Abstract

Aim To assess innovation skills and attitudes toward artificial intelligence Background The rapid advancement of modern healthcare technologies necessitates the transformation of traditionally structured nursing education. Attitudes toward innovation and artificial intelligence technologies will be crucial in determining their future impact on patient care. Therefore, assessing these attitudes early will be a significant step in shaping the future of nursing education. Design A cross-sectional multicenter study and adhering to STROBE guidelines. Method The study was performed at nursing schools of three universities, surveying a total of 269 first-year nursing students enrolled in 2024. A validated instrument, Innovation Skills Measurement Tool for Youth and the General Attitudes towards Artificial Intelligence Scale. Descriptive statistics, Student's t-test and One-Way ANOVA tests were used in the analyses. Results Students demonstrated high innovation skills (121.51 (SD 23.42) and positive attitudes towards artificial intelligence (65.83 (SD 8.99). Innovation skills were significantly higher among those knowledgeable about healthcare innovation (125.63 (SD 23.20) and those following innovation-related applications (129.16 (SD 24.66). Positive AI attitudes were higher in those familiar with AI (67.31 (SD 8.83), those using AI-based applications (67.39 (SD 8.95) and those interested in developing innovative products (68.13 (SD 9.66) (p < 0.05). A moderate correlation was found between positive AI attitudes and innovation skills (r = .314). Conclusions First-year nursing students generally have a positive attitude towards artificial intelligence; however, concerns remain regarding its use in daily practice. This suggests that specialized training programs focusing on both artificial intelligence applications and innovation skills could be beneficial for nursing students.