Culture & Competence: The Integration of Artificial Intelligence Through Nursing

It's not a matter of when it happens, the experience is already here. The conversation must be held and continue to be at the forefront. Over the past decade, artificial intelligence has become one of the most intelligent and dexterous tools in technology. And when applied ethically and equitably, it has the potential to be a culturally competent digital tool in healthcare. Let's explore this topic.

by Denetra Hampton

When the concept of artifical intelligence rears its head, it grips almost everyone in the room with anxiety and conflict just like diversity and inclusion. There seems to always be a subtle repudication of the conversation, particularly when we think it does not affect us directly. But let's be clear, diversity affects everyone, directly and overtime, artifical intelligence will too. So when it comes to healthcare all care is diverse, and is directly provided by a diverse population of multidiscipline professionals, which fortunately is critical to a culturally competent workforce. This is a good thing.

Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that deliberately integrating artifical intelligence into our cultural competence trainings can significantly enhance clinical and patient health literacy.

The Discipline of Nursing

The discipline of nursing has been around for over two-hundred years, although known for multiple dexterities, we are often left out of the equation when it comes to leadership, and in my opinion, largely due to a lack of cultural competence and diverse leadership exposure.

And this has been demonstrated not only nationally but also from a global perspective.

For instance, nursing leadership is frequently overlooked and excluded from significant healthcare policy and political decisions.

This is important to note for a number of reasons, particularly research, as nurse scientists are the primary connectors of our science to medicine which ultimately affects patient outcomes.

As political challenges threaten the very existence of our discipline, it is crucial to consider integrating artificial intelligence with our culturally competent research to sustain the justification of our science. And as a deeply invested advocate for nursing science, I think we will miss a huge opportunity as we move on advocacy strategies.

How Do We Take Action? A very small part of our research has been around cultural competence and its connection to our science. Artifical intelligence is an opportunity to change this. Health literacy has always been one of the most challenging obstacles to health equity, but as the digital world expands its transport and creative systems our integration of culture, competence and artifical intelligence can harness a totally different experience, not just for future education but for clinical and community literacy gaps.

How Do We Sustain Action?

Integration is merely one aspect of sustainability. Achieving sustainability requires having the right talent, mindset, and culture in place. Without these, an entirely new system might be necessary.

For example, organizing conferences and panel discussions has traditionally been a preferred method for spreading culture and expertise, with access being the primary barrier to making substantial progress.

I believe artifical intelligence will be a critical force for good in bridging gaps in health literacy and cultural competence. It has the potential to transform our previous approaches to health literacy by providing personalized educational resources tailored to the unique needs of culturally diverse populations. Already we know that algorithms can analyze demographic data to include health data to identify specific groups that may struggle with understanding medical information. With this already attained working knowledge artifical intelligence can target interventions that cater to the cultural and literacy needs of these populations, ensuring that health information is not only accessible but also relatable. A bridge builder to cultural competence.

Moreover, platforms powered by artificial intelligence can enhance the cultural relationships between patients and clinicians by offering accessible tools to manage health. For instance, virtual health assistants, combined with practitioner expertise, can motivate individuals to take an active role in their healthcare. This is a real experience coupled with the future of health.

Finally, artificial intelligence is here and as we move toward a more culturally competent workspace for future nurses, how we position our cultural competence alongside artifical intelligence will be profound.