Nurses' Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence and Their Relationship With Critical Thinking Dispositions

Today's healthcare system is rapidly evolving with technological transformations, and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are at the center of this transformation. AI-supported applications in many areas, from diagnosis to treatment planning, patient monitoring systems to medication management, have the potential to optimize clinical decision-making processes and increase efficiency in healthcare services. However, the effective integration of these technologies and their adoption by healthcare professionals depends not only on technical infrastructure but also on users' attitudes and cognitive competencies.

Nurses, an integral part of healthcare services, are a key professional group that will interact directly with AI technologies in patient care processes. The integration of artificial intelligence into nursing practices is manifested in various forms, such as smart patient monitoring systems, virtual nursing assistants, clinical decision support systems, and even robotic assistants. While these innovations hold the promise of reducing nurses' workloads, minimizing errors, and helping them make more evidence-based decisions, they also present a number of challenges, including the transformation of professional roles and new competency requirements. Nurses' attitudes toward artificial intelligence have emerged as a critical determinant factor in the successful adoption and integration of these technologies into hospital environments and daily practice. The literature suggests that healthcare workers' negative attitudes toward new technologies can slow down or even hinder adaptation processes. Conversely, positive attitudes can make nurses more open to learning, increase their willingness to adopt technology, and boost their motivation to integrate it into clinical practice.

On the other hand, critical thinking skills, one of the cornerstones of the nursing profession, refer to the ability to make correct decisions in complex clinical scenarios, implement evidence-based practices, and resolve ethical dilemmas. Although AI systems analyze large datasets to make recommendations, the human factor remains crucial in evaluating the accuracy, reliability, and patient-specific appropriateness of these recommendations. A diagnosis suggestion or treatment plan provided by an AI system should not be blindly accepted by the nurse but critically evaluated, taking into account the source and validity of the information as well as the patient's individual characteristics. For example, an AI algorithm may recommend a medication based on certain symptoms, but the nurse's critical assessment of the patient's allergy history, other drug interactions, or socioeconomic status ensures safe and effective care. In this context, critical thinking serves as a bridge to ensure that AI-supported decisions are consistent with the patient's unique needs and overall care philosophy.

A review of the existing literature indicates that there are studies that examine healthcare professionals' attitudes toward AI or their critical thinking tendencies separately. However, no studies have directly examined the potential relationship between nurses' attitudes toward AI and their critical thinking tendencies. This relationship could provide important insights into how AI should be integrated into nursing education and professional development. If nurses who exhibit positive attitudes toward AI also demonstrate higher critical thinking tendencies, this would highlight the importance of designing AI education programs that encourage critical thinking. Alternatively, if the opposite is true, different strategies may need to be developed to address how negative attitudes may influence critical thinking processes.

Nurses working in large and busy healthcare institutions such as Adana City Training and Research Hospital serve a wide patient population and encounter various technological tools. Understanding the attitudes of nurses working at this hospital toward AI and their critical thinking tendencies will contribute to the hospital's own technology integration strategies and serve as a model for similar-scale healthcare institutions in Turkey. This research will provide an evidence-based foundation for developing educational programs and curriculum updates that facilitate the adoption and safe use of AI in nursing practice. Ultimately, such information will directly contribute to improving patient care quality and strengthening professional adaptation by guiding the development of the necessary competencies for nurses to work effectively and harmoniously with AI in future healthcare systems.