In the literature, there is a consensus among authors that artificial intelligence robots will not directly replace nurses in the near future [22, 28–32].
Robotic assistants in healthcare are not meant to replace human caregivers but rather to support them. We might think of these robots as collaborators, not replacements.
Robots can help the nurse lift patients, assist with the transfers, perform clean-up measures, and all those auxiliary tasks, but robots could never cry with the patient. Robots can imitate as if they can understand what human emotions are and how they feel, but it would still feel fake.
Based on recent research, nurses appear safe from the AI onrush. In fact, their lives could be about to get easier. So while it's nowhere near capable of "taking over" the human decision-making, empathy, and direct physical care nurses provide to patients, AI could be poised to reduce administrative burdens.
The potential use of robots in nursing and other health care disciplines could be for improving the accuracy and speed of the detection of illnesses to improving end-of-life care by helping persons maintain their independence for a longer period of time.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 9% job growth for registered nurses (RNs) and 45% job growth for nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, and nurse anesthetists between 2020 and 2030. Both percentages are significantly higher than the 8% average growth projected for all professions for the same period.
Clinical automation technological advancements may help reduce nursing burnout and improve patient care. Check out how these advancements can also present challenges. Clinical automation technology in nursing care helps reduce the challenges of monotonous tasks and increases the time nurses can spend with patients.
As such, jobs that require high emotional intelligence, such as therapists, social workers, and nurses, are not likely to be replaced by AI. Specialized Professionals: Jobs that require deep expertise in a particular field, such as doctors, lawyers, and scientists, are less likely to be fully replaced by AI.
For centuries nursing has been known as a job that requires complex manual operations, that cannot be automated or replaced by any machinery. All the devices and techniques have been invented only to support, but never fully replace, a person with knowledge and expert intuition.
With that said, patients value the human touch provided by pharmacists, just as they do their PCPs. While AI may be able to provide information, it cannot provide the same level of understanding and problem-solving that a human pharmacist can.
Disadvantages of robotic nurses
Nursing robots can use surveillance equipment to monitor and record all the patients' activities and data and relay the same information to other sources may compromise privacy.
Robots have revolutionised the practice of surgery since their introduction to operating theatres in 2001. They can now be found in hospitals all across the world. The most prolific device, the Da Vinci, is used in 1.5m operations every year, according to its California-based manufacturer Intuitive Surgical.
AI can't replace doctors completely because it lacks empathy, creativity, and ethical judgment. These are essential skills for medical professionals who need to understand their patients' emotions, find innovative solutions to complex problems, and make decisions that respect human dignity and values.
AI will impact the work of many people in the healthcare industry, but there's no need to fear: Machines won't be replacing healthcare providers anytime soon. “What artificial intelligence is good at is things like pattern recognition,” Tom says.
There is no future healthcare without AI
We cannot sustain healthcare without this paradigm shift, where the medical team – comprising the patient and doctor – welcomes a third member: a technological entity, artificial intelligence. This is an exciting process, and to make the most of it we certainly need to change.
Nurse robots can perform tasks similar to human nurses without becoming exhausted. While nurse robots take over trivial or less urgent workloads, nurses and carers can focus on more important tasks while also focusing on human interaction and empathy, promoting the patient's long-term well-being.
Even with all their expertise and deep knowledge of the needs and wants of individual patients, nurses are often without the authority to make decisions – even in emergency situations. This is why autonomy in nursing is so essential – it can save lives.
Ninety-nine per cent of patient interactions in hospital are with their nurses, and patients learn to trust their swift handling of any problems they may be facing.
At the same time, AI could create 97 million new jobs in just the next couple of years, according to experts. Jobs that require tasks that can be learned and replicated—such as drivers, pilots, customer service agents, some types of medical assistants, and similar—may be among the most likely to be replaced by AI.
“Doctors will not be replaced by AI, but they may not directly profit from it either,” Dranove says. And it's not clear if even the healthcare organization will get monetary rewards. Medical care in the United States is often based on a fee-for-service model.
Adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can develop strategies that help focus attention to successfully complete their activities at home and at work. This is how Foss successfully completed nursing school and has thrived in her position in a fast-paced healthcare environment.
The main hazards from these situations are slips, trips and falls. There is also a risk of items falling onto the person. Nurses may also be exposed to burns or scalds from hot sterilizing equipment, and stabs or cuts from sharp objects.