5th Edition of World Nursing Research Conference 2026

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping healthcare by increasing access, improving quality of care, and strengthening data-driven decision-making. However, its rapid integration also brings ethical, cultural, and social challenges that, if not carefully addressed, may deepen existing inequities. For nursing, a profession grounded in advocacy and person-centered care, the rise of AI presents both opportunities and risks.
In this study, the intersection of artificial intelligence and social justice in healthcare is examined within the context of nursing practice. Positive impacts include reducing disparities, supporting early diagnosis, enhancing transparency in decision-making, and strengthening community-based and personalized care. AI can lessen nurses’ administrative workload, expand telehealth options, and create more time for direct patient engagement. Integrating AI into nursing education offers opportunities to prepare future professionals as technologically competent and ethically sensitive leaders.
At the same time, AI presents significant risks. Algorithmic bias may reproduce inequities based on gender, race, or socioeconomic status. Unequal access to digital tools increases the risk of exclusion in rural areas and among low-income populations. Commercialization may weaken the humanistic values at the core of nursing. Culturally insensitive systems can undermine trust between nurses and patients, while lack of transparency raises accountability concerns. Moreover, AI cannot replace human empathy and ethical reasoning, both of which are essential in mental health, pediatric, and palliative care. Limited AI literacy among nurses further threatens the safe and equitable use of these technologies.
Active participation of nurses in the design, governance, and application of AI systems is necessary to ensure that ethical, cultural, and clinical dimensions are fully integrated. Nursing curricula must be updated to include AI literacy, ethical reasoning, and cultural sensitivity. Interdisciplinary collaboration among healthcare providers, policymakers, and technology experts is essential for developing transparent and inclusive systems. When nurses engage not only as users but also as leaders and advocates, AI can become a tool that strengthens rather than weakens social justice in healthcare.
Keywords: social justice; artificial intelligence; nursing